All Of Me
by Nutmeg596
Summary: Eyra is being forced by her stepfather into an arranged marriage with the prince of Asgard. Her situation becomes even worse when she finds herself falling for the wrong prince. What will happen when their relationship is discovered? Loki/OC Takes place pre-Thor and probably through TDW.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but, believe me, if I could own Loki I would.**

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**Prologue**

Brilliant rays of golden sunlight darted through the trees and bounced off of cascading red tresses as a young Asgardian girl stumbled through woods after her father. "Papa!" She called after him, giggling madly. "Wait for me!" Her bright pacific blue eyes, a stark contrast to her flaming hair, danced with delight at this special time with the man she loved more than anyone.

A booming laugh sounded a bit ahead of her, and, not a minute later, the source appeared and swooped his beloved daughter into his strong arms. "We are almost there! Now, do you remember what I told you?"

The child bobbed her head up and down emphatically. "You said you are going to show me a very special, secret place, and I must never tell anyone else about it!"

Her father beamed at her. "That is exactly right, flower." He kissed her temple fondly and set her down, leading her with him for several more minutes. Then, he paused and looked down at her, whispering, "Are you ready?"

She nodded with wide, shining eyes, and he smiled. Taking her hand, he guided her just a few feet more until they stepped into a clearing. The girl let out a gasp of wonderment as she took in the sight. On the other side of the clearing were majestic mountains from a which fell a waterfall that created a pool of crystal. Flowers bloomed all around in hues of every color she could imagine. Birds chirped happily in the trees, and butterflies fluttered from flower to flower. The girl giggled, going cross-eyed as one landed on her nose. Her father chuckled happily.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh, papa, it is beautiful!"

He smiled at her. "Here, you never have to worry about anything else in the world. You can run and play-"

"And sing and dance and read and do anything!" His daughter finished, spinning around and looking up at the sky, arms outstretched. He looked on her with delight.

"That is absolutely right. You can do anything. Because you are beautiful, and you possess talents which not many others claim. But, do you know what makes you even more amazing?"

The girl looked up at him with a smile, knowing this routine conversation like the back of her hand. "I am kind. I am strong. I am good. And that is more powerful than anything." She recited along with him.

Her father nodded, the corners of his mouth turned upward in pride. "With those things, you can do whatever you may desire. So, don't ever let go of those dreams within your head. And don't ever forget how much I love you, and how proud I am of you. I won't always be here to tell you these things, but if you ever start to forget, you come to this place, and you remember, and you feel that, deep down, I will always be with you."

As meaningful as her father's words were to her, she never anticipated the day they would become relevant. Still, that day came. As a sick man lay upon his death bed, he called each of his loved ones to him, one by one, starting with his beloved wife, then each of his two sons, and ending with his only daughter. She approached him, her face a shadow of the grief and pain within her heart.

He reached a hand out to grasp hers tenderly. "My little flower….how I love you…." he wheezed. She let out a barely muffled sob as she lifted his hand to her cheek. "You have grown so much, in beauty and in maturity. But, you must promise me something."

"Anything, papa." She choked.

"You must promise me that, as you are approached by suitors of every kind, you will not settle for any man who loves you any less than I, or who will bring you any less joy than you have brought me. And you must always -" He suddenly began to cough weakly, struggling to speak at the same time. "You must always remember….you are kind….you are strong….you…..you are….good….and….and…." He trailed off, and his hand went limp.

"And that is more powerful than anything." She whispered before letting out a cry of despair. The rest of her family ran into the room, and they wept together over the loss they shared.

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**Chapter 1**

As the years went by, the pain Eyra felt over her father's passing subsided to a dull ache. She never forgot the words he spoke to her or the promises she made to him, and rarely a day would pass without her visiting their little grove. She took to heart his promise that he would always be with her, and during her time in that place, it was almost as though she could feel his strong arms around her, hear his laughter echoing off the mountainside, and see his smiling eyes look upon her with love and pride. Oh, she cherished that clearing above almost anything else in the universe. It was sacred to her; the last secret she shared with the father she adored. That is, until the inevitable happened.

"Asmund, I'm going out for a while." Eyra stood on her toes as she passed her eldest brother to plant a kiss on his cheek. He looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Where is it that you run off to every day, anyway?"

"Oh, just out walking." She looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "I never go to far. Always within shouting distance."

It was then that Brynjar, the second eldest, decided to make an appearance. "I know exactly where she's going!"

Eyra looked at him sharply. "Oh?"

"Sure!" He grinned at her. "You're meeting someone! You've finally found someone to fit those impossibly high standards of yours!"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Ha ha. And why do you say finally?! I'm barely of courting age, and it will be a few years yet before I am even old enough to marry!"

He slung an arm around her shoulders. "You don't have to think about marriage! Just...get to know some people! See what you're looking for!"

"I know what I'm looking for, Bryn," she shrugged him away. "And it certainly isn't anyone I've met so far!" It was no secret that Eyra was much desired by many of the young men who knew her. Over the years, her flaming red hair had darkened into a deep crimson, which stood out determinedly against her pale, freckled skin and shimmering blue eyes. She was a pretty sight to behold, but thus far she had yet to meet a boy who cared to learn anything beyond that.

Brynjar sighed at her, but Asmund smiled fondly. "Oh, leave her alone, Bryn. Valhalla knows our sister can sort out her own life quite capably. Now, go ahead Eyra. Don't stay out too long."

She gave him a grateful smile and walked out the door, a light bounce in her step. As she made her way down the street, she stumbled upon an aging woman dressed in rags. Eyra's heart tugged sadly, and she bent down slowly.

"Hello, what is your name?" She asked kindly.

The woman hesitated, eyeing her warily, before feebly responding. "Dagmar."

Eyra smiled at her. "Well, Dagmar, I have some extra biscuits from dinner, and I was afraid they would go stale! But, I would like you to have them, if you would."

Dagmar gazed at her, something akin to gratitude in her eyes. "I thank you, miss."

Eyra pulled the biscuits out of the basket she'd packed for her own dinner. "I hope you have a wonderful night. Enjoy those!" She winked at the woman before carrying on.

It didn't take long for her to reach the clearing as it wasn't far from her home. Placing herself carefully on her usual boulder, she began to hum softly to herself. Soon, her voice grew louder, and she slid from her spot, dancing across the field as she lost herself in singing. Her feet found their way to the pool, kicking up small splashes of water as she flitted to and fro. Her hands expertly pulled flowers up to create a bouquet: a gift for her mother. Her lithe frame moved gracefully to the music she created, and the sound of her father's delighted laughter entered her mind. A content smile worked its way onto her face as she slowly ceased her antics, coming to stand knee deep in the water, eyes closed, and listen to the beauty of the world around her.

"Well, I only came out to go for a walk, but I would say that show was a pleasant surprise." An amused voice sounded behind her. Eyra let out a squeal of shock and whipped around, in the process managing to slip on a rock and fall flat on her rear in the pool. Dripping wet, flowers thrown and floating across the pond, and feeling quite upset at someone else being in _her_ spot, she could only sit there, humiliated, shivering and refusing to look at the source of all this ruckus, who was also laughing at the disaster he had caused.

Then, there was a sudden splashing noise accompanying said laughter. Eyra looked up in spite of herself to see a hand being extended to her. Begrudgingly, she accepted it, allowing herself to be pulled up and, shockingly, met with the most stunning pair of green eyes she'd ever seen.

"I'm so sorry," the boy in front of her grinned. He had pale skin and black hair which he wore slicked back. Those green eyes twinkled with a delightful hint of mischief. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Eyra stared at him, enchanted, and stammered out, "N-no! That's...that's totally fine, I was just...wait a minute!" She shook her head, senses coming back to her. Wringing her hands, she cried, "What are you doing here?! You aren't supposed to be here!"

The smile faded from the boy's face, and he looked confused. "But why not?"

"It's...it's not..." Eyra tried to think of a good reason for why the boy really couldn't be there, but could come up with nothing. After all, it wasn't as though she owned the place. She and her father were simply the only people to ever go there before. She looked up at him again and forced herself to remain focused and calm.

"I-I'm sorry. I just...no one else has ever been here before..."

The boy grinned again and helped her out of the water. "Really? One would think you were expecting an audience judging from that stunning performance earlier!"

Eyra flushed. "Please, I would ask that you not make fun of me, sir."

"What? I'm not making fun! I'm being serious."

Eyra looked at him suspiciously before finally deciding he looked sincere. "If you say so..."

"I do!" It was then that he noticed her shivering body. "Oh dear, you're freezing! Here." He unclasped his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. Instantly, Eyra's whole body warmed up, and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"How...?"

The boy shrugged. "Magic." He said simply.

Eyra gasped. "You can do magic?!" She asked excitedly. He nodded in affirmation. "Oh, but I-"

"Eyra!"

She looked toward her house. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I have to go. Here, take this back." She made to remove his cloak, but he held out a hand to stop her.

"Keep it."

They held each other's gaze for a moment before Eyra gave him a smile. "Thank you. Now, I really must be going."

"Wait!" The boy called. "Will I see you again? Here?"

"I come every day!" she responded, gathering her things. "But, I really don't think..."

"Eyra!"

"Eyra?" The boy smiled. "I like that. I will be back here tomorrow. I hope you will as well."

She blushed, but gave him a coy smile. "We'll see."

He grinned in delight at her response and watched her hurry back through the trees. Unfortunately, despite either of their plans, it would be years before they would see each other again, and it would be under circumstances neither of them could have anticipated.

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**A/N: I hope you enjoyed chapter 1! I got this idea in my head and just had to put it on paper! Please review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

Eyra sat and stared sullenly into the mirror as her handmaiden fussed over her hair. Her mother, Brenna, stood by, watching in frustration. After several moments of tense silence, she finally let out a sigh and sat down next to her daughter.

"Eyra..." she began.

"Don't let him hear you call me that," Eyra interjected hollowly. Brenna gave her a disparaging look, but corrected herself.

"Astrid..." Eyra's frown sunk even deeper at the name. "This is good! Every maiden in Asgard wishes to be in your position!"

"Then let one of them take my place!"

"You know your father will not allow that to happen."

"He is not my father." Eyra replied softly, tears filling her eyes as she recalled how it had come to this.

_Eyra skipped home, a smile gracing her face as she pulled the boy's cloak more tightly around her. She had been upset at first that he had been there, but it wasn't long before she found herself rather entranced by his presence. Not once had he mentioned her appearance, instead choosing to compliment her on her singing and dancing. He had been a perfect gentleman, and his light, carefree nature had reminded her greatly of her father. Butterflies once again took flight in her stomach as she remembered how those sparkling emerald eyes had studied her, as though he could see past her appearance into the kindness and passion that lay within her heart. Eyra's heart raced at the thought of meeting this strange boy again the next day. Then she would find out his name. _

_After carefully concealing the cloak so as to avoid her family's questions, she walked into the house. Eyra was startled to see that they had several visitors. Her mother quickly ushered her inside and into the presence of a man she did not recognize. He stood with perfect posture and looked over her appraisingly. Shooting her mother a confused look, Eyra gave her best attempt at a curtsy in her soaking gown._

_"Inghard," Brenna addressed the man. "This is Eyra, my daughter. Eyra, I'd like you to meet Lord Inghard, a nobleman in the Allfather's halls and your future stepfather."_

_Eyra felt as though a dagger had twisted in her heart. "My...my what?" she gasped._

_"Stepfather," Inghard responded. "It is good to meet you, child. But Vanir, why are you all wet?"_

_Eyra fought to compose herself and answered clearly. "I was out walking by the river. I slipped on a rock. Sir."_

_The man tsked. "Well, that won't do, will it? It isn't suitable for a young maiden such as yourself to be out wandering on her own. You should be inside. But, not to worry. On the morrow, you will all be moved to the city. There, I will provide you with the best teachers. You will be schooled in the arts of cooking, stitching and etiquette." Before Eyra could speak a word of protest, Inghard had waved to his escort. "Come, we must be off! We have a big day ahead of us!" He smiled at Brenna and lifted her hand to his lips for a moment before leading the way out to their horses. Eyra and her brothers slowly turned to look at their mother._

_"Mother?" Asmund questioned._

_Brenna looked at them and sighed. "I don't expect you to understand yet. But this is going to be for the better. We will have someone to support us, and he is going to provide each of you with lessons so that you may be successful. Aside from that, as selfish as this sounds, I need someone to take care of me. Ever since...your father passed away...I've been lonely, and I worry every day over the welfare of my children. This is going to fix all of that!"_

_Eyra could not find it within herself to speak. To her this was the ultimate betrayal. This man was not her father, nor would he ever be. He was nothing like her father was. It would not take long for her to realize how true that statement really was._

Since that night, Eyra had not once been allowed back to visit her little grove. It didn't take her long to realize that any attempts to sneak out were futile. She had never again seen the Laughing Boy, as she had taken to calling him, and her time spent away from those memories with her father was taking its toll on her. However, she still did not lose sight of the things her father saw in her, and she strove to continue to be kind, strong, and good. It was that determination that allowed her to believe that Inghard really was doing what he thought was best for all of them. Even so, how she wished things could be different.

Eyra felt more a prisoner than a daughter. Never was she allowed outside of the walls of their home. All of her time, once filled with singing and laughter and joy, was now spent in lessons. She was corrected on nearly everything, since apparently she was the furthest thing from 'a lady of Asgard' that her instructors had ever seen. Inghard even insisted that she be referred to from then on as Astrid, since Eyra was not regal enough for one in such good standing with the Allfather. That never made sense to her, considering she'd never even met the Allfather, and they kept her away from anyone outside the household anyway.

Still, for many years, she found it within herself to be happy. She thought of happier times, and those memories never failed to bring a smile to her face. Often, in the quiet hours of the night, she would sing quietly the songs which she had been taught by her father. Sometimes, she would take out the Laughing Boy's cloak and wrap herself in it, thinking of where he was and hoping he had found more joy than she. And she always found peace in the thought that she had never broken the final promise she had made to her father.

But that comfort too was doomed to be shattered.

_Muffled voices could be heard_ _through the walls as Eyra and her mother were embroidering in the sitting room. They glanced at one another but said nothing, assuming their questions would be answered soon enough. Their assumptions were proven correct as Inghard suddenly made a grand entrance into the room._

_"My darling Brenna, and lovely Astrid!" He was positively beaming. "I bring most excellent tidings."_

_Both women stood gracefully out of respect. "Pray, tell." Brenna smiled at him._

_"Astrid, I have arranged for the most advantageous marriage for you! To Prince Thor!"_

_Eyra felt all the air leave her lungs in a sudden 'whoosh.' She stared up at her stepfather, mouth moving up and down in shock and horror, but no words finding their way out. Inghard, however, mistakenly interpreted her reaction as one of an overwhelming joy and gratitude._

_"There is no need to thank me, my dear. I would do anything for my dearest daughter. Now, you are scheduled to meet the prince in two days time. That will give us just enough time to find you a gown. Ella will get you all ready; she is very aware of all the latest styles. Now, I will give you two women a while to gather your excitement. I must tend to other things!"_

_As soon as he left, Eyra collapsed into her chair, nearly hyperventilating as her mother cried out of happiness, chatting away._

Eyra was suddenly jolted back to the present by her mother placing a hand over her own.

"Astrid," she began softly. "Why is it that you are so against this marriage?"

Eyra sniffed, struggling to compose herself. "I do not love him, Mother."

"Not yet! But, I am sure that it won't take long for you to develop those feelings. After all, you have not even met him yet! And I have heard he is as charming as they come! You aren't marrying him yet. Simply moving to the palace. You'll have time to fall in love before the wedding."

"But what if I don't?" Eyra whispered sadly.

"Then, I truly believe, you of all people will find some way to be happy. And, anyway, it isn't as though you have ever met anyone who has caught your fancy!" Eyra stayed silent at that, and Brenna sighed. "Just think of this: Even should this marriage turn out to be horrible, Queen Frigga is a master of magic. Perhaps she would train you in your abilities."

That thought did bring a small smile to Eyra's face. Ever since her magical gifts had been discovered, they had kept them a secret from all until she could, one day, receive some training. As Ella finished curling her hair and pulling it up atop her head, Eyra squared her shoulders. "Alright," she breathed to herself. "Let's hope for the best."

It was only a short carriage ride to the palace, which was good, as it did not provide Eyra much time to fret over what was to come. The carriage came to a stop, and Inghard opened the door, helping her as she stepped out. Standing before her were four people. Eyra had no time to inspect them all, however, as her stepfather gave her a grand introduction.

"My lords and lady, may I present to you my daughter, Lady Astrid." Eyra hastily sank into a curtsy, keeping her eyes to the ground meekly. The Allfather gave her permission to rise.

"Welcome, child," he greeted her. "We are delighted to have you with us and to be adding you to our family. May I introduce my wife, Queen Frigga."

Eyra looked at the woman and smiled. She was beautiful and looked on the girl with kindness as she approached her. "Hello, Dear. It is such a delight to meet you. But, I am sure that you most care about meeting your future husband." Eyra flushed as the queen guided her toward a largely built man with blonde hair and a handsomely scruffy face. She had to admit to herself that he was good-looking, though that was far from what it would take for her to love someone.

Thor bowed respectfully and placed a delicate kiss to her knuckles, looking up at her through his eyelashes. "My lady."

"Your Highness," Eyra breathed, and Thor let out a low chuckle.

"There is no need for such formalities. We are to be wed, are we not?" He smiled at her. "Oh please, let me introduce you to my brother, Loki." He gestured toward the man to his left, and Eyra looked up, breath catching in her throat at what she saw.

The person in front of her looked cool and collected, yet calculating. His slick black hair contrasted drastically with his pale skin. He was, in a word, beautiful. But it was not that which had Eyra in such awe. She would know those eyes anywhere. The Laughing Boy stood in front of her, though he looked much more careworn than she remembered him. Still, there was no doubt that it was him. He, however, gave no sign that he recognized her. He simply gave a slight bow.

"My Lady." His voice was soft and flowed like silk. Eyra fought to keep her composure as she gave a low curtsy.

"My Prince." She whispered in return before Thor gently led her away to show her the gardens. But Eyra could have sworn she felt Loki's eyes following her discreetly as they walked away.

* * *

Loki stood impatiently with his family as they waited for Thor's new betrothed to arrive. '_Some spoiled, giggling little rich brat, no doubt.' _He mused to himself as the carriage pulled up. He had been reading a splendid book before he had been dragged away to greet the girl, Astrid, or something like that, and the only thought on his mind was getting back to that.

That changed in an instant, however, when he laid eyes on the young woman being helped out of the carriage. Loki heard none of the introductions as his heart began to hammer in his chest. It could not be. And yet, he was almost certain that it was. It had been nearly a decade since he had seen her, but he thought of her every day. She was as beautiful as he remembered her, though there was a new sadness in her eyes that had not been there before. Anger quickly replaced his shock as he remembered how she had blown him off after their first meeting. Putting on a neutral expression, he tried his best to look completely uninterested as Thor introduced them. He could not, however, keep his gaze from her as she and Thor retreated to the gardens.

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**A/N: Soooo I included a little bit of Loki's POV in there, but that probably won't be happening all that often, unless I decide that I like it. Let me know what you think! Remember! Reviews keep me motivated! ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

That night, when she was sure that everyone else was in bed, Eyra stole silently out of her chambers. Walking slowly through the halls of the palace, she struggled to calm her racing thoughts. Thor was lovely, she had to confess. In fact, she was sure that it would have been very easy for her to become quite enamored with him had it not been for the constant thoughts of his brother which plagued her mind.

'_Loki,' _she shook her head in bemusement. '_It was Prince Loki who I met all those years ago. And of course he doesn't remember me. After all, I was only a silly peasant girl at the time.' _She then smiled wryly to herself._ 'Of course, underneath all this fabric and forced etiquette, I suppose that really I still am just a silly peasant girl.' _That thought cheered her slightly as she came to stand out on a balcony. Gazing up at the stars, she carefully boosted herself onto the railing. Not very ladylike, she supposed, but there were no instructors around now to chide her. With a sigh, she began to softly sing a heartbreaking lament, a single tear falling down her cheek.

"There was a time when I would have given anything to hear that voice again."

Eyra started and lost her balance, feeling herself nearly slip from the railing upon which she sat. This time, however, knowing arms were ready to catch and steady her, pulling her body flush against a hard torso. Eyra gulped and looked up, shivering as she met Loki's gaze. For several moments, they simply stared at each other, Loki's arms encircled about her waist and Eyra's hands clutching tightly at the fabric on his upper arms, feeling her knees go weak and fearing she would collapse the second she let go.

It was Loki who broke the silence. "My, this does seem familiar," His cool breath danced across her face, making her shiver once again. "Doesn't it...Eyra?"

Eyra's heart skipped a beat, and she forced herself to pull away from him. "You do remember." She murmured. "I thought you would have forgotten by now."

Loki let out a dark chuckle, so different from the laughter he had once displayed in her presence. "Oh, I tried, after the first week. I told myself that you were never going to come. I was right, but that didn't stop me from somehow finding my way to that spot every night." He looked at her coldly. "For five years, I watched and waited..."

"I tried...you have to understand..."

"But I was weak then," He interrupted her. "Not anymore. Especially now that you've shown who you really are."

Eyra gazed at him, ashen-faced. "And who is that?"

He simply shook his head at her and turned to walk away.

"Loki!" She cried out, causing him to halt in his tracks. He slowly turned back around and looked at her icily.

"What makes you think you have earned the right to address me so informally? I am a prince of Asgard, and you will treat me as such. Betrothed to my brother or not," He sneered. He made to leave again, but, in one bold movement, Eyra's hand shot out and caught hold of his.

"I don't want to marry your brother. I never have," she rushed to say before he could rebuke her for her actions. "I wanted to come! Every night, I wished to go! But...circumstances...prevented such a thing from ever being possible. And believe me when I say that I did try."

She felt completely exposed as Loki studied her carefully. It was several minutes before he spoke, and it was not at all what she expected to hear. "What has the world done to you, little Eyra?" He breathed. "When I met you before...you were so full of life and spirit and passion. What has happened?"

Tears prickled in Eyra's eyes, and she tore her gaze away from the prince's not wanting him to see her so weak. But his thumb and forefinger gently tucked under her chin, drawing her eyes up to his once more. Eyra swallowed the lump in her throat and spoke softly, her voice quivering slightly. "You are much changed as well, Highness. I gather that the world has not been as kind to either of us as we may have liked."

Loki scoffed lightly. "You are engaged to the heir to the throne of Asgard."

"And you are the prince of Asgard." She replied simply. "And yet, if it's not too bold to say, I don't think either of us is truly happy."

Loki's brow furrowed as his eyes searched her own. He opened his mouth to speak when a voice sounded behind them.

"Loki? Astrid?" The two jumped apart and turned to the source of the noise. Frigga was gazing at them calmly. "Is everything alright?"

Eyra cleared her throat, resisting the urge to look at Loki. "Yes, your majesty. I simply went for a walk and lost my way to my chambers. Prince Loki was kind enough to offer to escort me back." She didn't like the knowing smile on the queen's face.

"Ah, well in that case, it may be wise to hurry. If anyone were to see you together...people might talk." Eyra could have sworn she saw Frigga wink at her before turning and walking away. Loki cleared his throat.

"Have you really lost your way?"

"Quite possibly," Eyra blushed.

A low chuckle came from his throat as he looked at her. "Well then, I daresay, let's get you back."

The walk back to Eyra's chambers was a silent one. When they arrived, Loki bid her a swift goodnight before disappearing down the hall. Eyra closed the door behind her and leaned against it, eyes closed as she took several deep breaths, feeling, if possible, even more confused than she had before she left.

* * *

The next morning, Eyra sat with the royal family at breakfast in her designated spot next to Thor. Her eyes locked with Loki's several times, after which she would always flush and look away, pretending not to notice the pleased smirk that would adorn his face. Both were unaware of Frigga's eyes as she took note of each lingering glance between the two.

Thor cleared his throat. "Astrid."

Eyra turned her gaze toward the man to whom she was actually engaged, grateful for the distraction from his brother's attentions. "Yes, Thor?"

"I am going to the training fields immediately after breakfast. I would love for you to meet my friends who will be there, though I fear you may find yourself bored. I wonder if my brother would not mind entertaining you for the day." He looked at Loki hopefully.

Loki did not miss a beat. "I suppose I could find something for her to do." His eyes flickered once again to Eyra's face. She struggled to maintain her composure.

Loki gave Eyra a sly smile as they all finished their breakfast. She frowned at him, though she was unable to help the fluttering of her heart at the thought of spending the morning with the prince. As each of their plates were cleared, she and both brothers excused themselves and made their way down to the training fields. When they arrived, there were already four people sparring with one another. Thor bellowed out an enthusiastic greeting.

"Friends!" The clanging of metal instantly ceased, and the four approached them, smiling. "Come, meet Astrid!"

Eyra heard Loki scoff slightly at his brother's use of her incorrect name. She ignored it however, as she suddenly found herself being greeted warmly by three men.

"Lady Astrid, you are even lovelier than we anticipated!" A dashing young man stooped to kiss her knuckles. He was pulled out of the way a moment later, however.

"Don't mind Fandral. He likes to think himself a ladies man," A more serious man smiled at her kindly. "I'm Hogun."

"And I'm Volstagg!" Boomed the jovial voice of a large, hairy man.

Eyra curtsied and smiled around at them all. "It is lovely to meet you." She said genuinely. The woman accompanying them only gave her a curt nod.

"And this is the Lady Sif!" Thor presented happily. "I hope that you two will be good friends! It will be good for both of you to have another female around!"

Sif looked less than thrilled with that idea, but her displeasure was soon lost in the merriment of her friends. They did eventually begin training, and Eyra hesitantly retreated to where Loki was sitting against a wall, observing the proceedings. He offered her only a quick glance before saying calmly, "Sit." Eyra got the feeling it was not an invitation.

They watched the others practice for several minutes, though Eyra's mind was more focused on the man sitting next to her. He turned to her. "What troubles you?" He questioned. Eyra looked at him, startled that he had somehow perceived her restless state.

"It's the Lady Sif," she replied. It wasn't a complete lie. "I get the feeling she has less than fond feelings towards me."

Loki barked a short laugh. "Yes, well, that was to be expected. She's been pining after Thor for as long as anyone can remember."

Eyra frowned. "Then why does he not marry her?"

He quirked one long, perfect eyebrow at her. "Does the thought of wedding my brother repulse you so?"

"Oh! No! No, of course not!" She quickly amended, though she could have sworn she saw his face harden at her words. With a sigh, she pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them, watching as Sif disarmed Fandral with a triumphant flourish. "I barely know him. He is good enough, I suppose, but..." She trailed off as that unwanted, humiliating lump rose once again in her throat. She was startled when Loki placed a discreet, comforting hand on her back before answering her original question.

"As heir to the throne, it is expected of Thor to have an advantageous marriage. Sif would not be considered a suitable match by most of the realm, including my father."

"Does he love her?" Eyra inquired hesitantly.

"I do not know. If he does, he would not speak of it. He is very conscious of what is expected of him." He looked at her, a soft look coming into his eyes. "Do not trouble yourself with such thoughts, Eyra."

She shook her head at him. "You mustn't call me that, you know."

Loki smirked at her. "And why not? It is your real name, is it not?"

"It is the only name I accept for myself," she confessed. "But it is a name I am no longer permitted to go by. If Inghard were to hear it..."

Loki's brow furrowed. "Do you always refer to your father by his given name?"

"He is not my father," Eyra retorted. Loki waited for her to expound. When she didn't, he stood up and extended a hand to her. She looked at him curiously as she accepted it, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

"I will refer to you as Astrid in the company of others," he whispered. "But at the moment, I'd like to call you Eyra, so care to take a walk?"

Her eyes darted toward Thor and his friends before meeting Loki's again. "Won't it be noticed if we slip off together?"

He shrugged. "I doubt it. I did tell Thor I would entertain you for the day. And we are to be brother and sister soon, are we not?"

Eyra bit her lip uncertainly. It was rather hot and boring on the fields, and it didn't look as though the others would be finished any time soon. Giving Loki a shy smile, she nodded and followed him casually back into the palace.

The two were silent at first as they strolled leisurely through the halls. Loki's hands were clasped behind his back as he stood tall and proud. Eyra felt so small next to the prince, and she nervously played with the ends of her hair. He shot her an amused glance, as though guessing at her thoughts, but still said nothing. After a few moments, Loki came to a halt, and Eyra found that they stood on the same balcony from the night before.

"How did you sleep?" Loki questioned after a moment. Eyra wrinkled her nose at the small talk but responded politely.

"I slept well. And yourself?"

The prince was silent, simply gazing out across the realm. Eyra swallowed uncertainly, wondering if she'd said something wrong. Then, he turned his whole body to face her, leaning one arm against the railing and giving her that calculating gaze.

"Eyra," A shiver ran down her spine as he spoke her name. "You can't lie to me. How did you really sleep?"

She stared up at him, wondering, not for the first time, how he could be so perceptive. "A-as well as could be expected, my lord." she stammered slightly.

Loki's eyes narrowed at her carefully neutral response, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned once again to look over the balcony.

"So," There was a slightly playful lilt to his tone. "You sing, you used to dance, and I'm guessing you still do, you pick wildflowers, run around barefoot in the woods, get lost in palaces in the middle of the night, and seem to have a knack for falling into rivers and off of railings." Eyra let out a giggle in spite of herself, and Loki's eyes danced with amusement. "Is there anything else you do?"

"Oh, I do many other things, highness, though none of them very befitting of a lady, as I've often been told."

Loki's eyebrows shot up. "Oh? Do enlighten me, I beg you."

Eyra gave him a small grin. "I swim in rivers, climb mountains, dive from rocks, swing from vines, ride horses, and sleep in trees. On occasion," she added as an afterthought.

The corners of Loki's lips twitched. "I fear you have ruined me for ever finding myself a suitable 'lady' then. They shall all seem incredibly boring! Though, having obviously been brought up by a nobleman, you surely must have been taught the skills considered essential for a lady of the courts."

Eyra let out a exaggerated sigh. "Yes, I must confess I was forced to waste many hours practicing tedious needlework, cooking, and etiquette." She shuddered.

"Ah yes, it must have been horrific," Loki chuckled.

"It was!" She nodded at him with wide eyes. "Absolute torture for anyone with any sort of free-spirited nature! I suppose I have my father to thank for teaching me to actually live."

Loki's expression twisted into one of confusion. "I got the distinct impression that you did not care for Lord Inghard."

"It is not him to whom I am referring," At his continued look of bewilderment, Eyra explained. "He is my stepfather of about ten years." A look of realization dawned on the prince's face as he fitted the pieces together. Eyra nodded and continued quietly. "He was there when I got home that night. He wasted no time in moving my family to his home here, changing my name, and ensuring that I was never allowed to explore the outside world again. I know he was only doing what he believed to be best for me, but he has completely altered who I am." She looked up at Loki sadly. "I am afraid I am a very different person from the girl you met in the woods all those years ago."

Loki shook his head. "I do not believe that is true. At first, I did think that to be the case, but in the past few moments I have seen glimpses of that same young woman who captivated me for so long." Eyra flushed deeply at his implications, but he made no acknowledgment of it. "I think that free spirit is still fighting to reach the surface. You simply have to allow it to do so."

Eyra opened her mouth to argue that it was not that easy, but at that moment, Thor's voice interrupted them.

"Loki, I thank you for looking after Lady Astrid for me." The two turned to see him smiling happily at them. "Now, Astrid, would you care to join me in locating some food?"

"It would be my pleasure," she responded politely, though she would have much preferred to stay in Loki's company. She gave him a low curtsy. "I thank you for your kindness this morning, Highness."

Loki inclined his head slightly. "I have enjoyed it, Lady Astrid."

Eyra decided she did not like the sound of that name on his lips, but knew it was necessary. With one last glance at the younger prince, she allowed herself to be swept away by her fiancé, feeling at once the loss of Loki's presence.

* * *

**A/N: Finally some good Loki/Eyra interaction in there! Things are going to get much more complicated though. Anyway, I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has posted a review for this story! They always make me smile!**

**Dappledwing: I am glad that you are enjoying it! I hope these updates were soon enough for you! ;)**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Done! It is great to hear that you like it, and I sure hope it continues to live up to your expectations! I love your name, by the way! Sherlock is my absolute favorite show!**

**Anon: Thank you so much for your positive feedback! That is what keeps me going!**


	4. Chapter 4

Eyra sat with a smile on her face as Thor recounted many stories of his victories in battle. He was a wonderful storyteller, and she found herself quite enthralled by his tales. He did not tell of his experiences to boast, but simply to provide joy and entertainment to those listening, and he was as quick to poke fun at himself as he was to speak of his success.

It had now been several days since Eyra had moved into the palace. She had scarcely had any contact with Loki since their second time on the balcony, and for that, she convinced herself she was grateful. It was not fit for her to be distracted by him when she was supposed to be getting to know and falling in love with his brother. She and Thor had spent much time together over the past few days, and she was learning that he was very much what she expected from the heir to the throne. He was strong, regal, charming, and took his position very seriously. At the same time, he was always willing to relax and have a good time. Eyra truly did think highly of him, and was growing accustomed to the idea of being his wife, though that didn't mean that she did not continue to feel some opposition toward the arrangement. She was simply coming to terms with the fact that her situation was not going to change and finding that perhaps she would not be quite as miserable as she once feared.

Still, each night after Thor would drop her off at her chambers, she would pull out the cloak Loki had given her upon their first meeting. She could not help but think regretfully on what might have been had she been given just one more chance to meet him in the clearing. Despite her growing respect and fondness toward Thor, there was something missing there; something that she could recall being present during each of her encounters with the younger prince. A large part of her was burdened with guilt over these feelings as she wondered whether Thor felt more strongly for her than she did for him. It was these thoughts that caused her next words.

"Thor," she suddenly blurted when there was a break in their conversation. "How do feel about marrying me?"

He looked surprised at her question. "Whatever do you mean, Astrid?"

Eyra felt the heat rise to her cheeks, cursing herself for her boldness. "I just mean...well...are you happy with the situation? Do you think...that is, is it possible that...you could ever love me?"

Thor looked at her thoughtfully. "Well, it is a man's duty to love his wife, is it not?" Eyra frowned inwardly at the word 'duty.' "My parents' marriage began just as ours is, and they have grown to love each other dearly." When he saw her slightly crestfallen face, he took her hands in his own and smiled at her kindly. "I very much enjoy our time together, Astrid. You are a very respectable young maiden, and I do truly believe that our relationship will be one filled with much love and joy."

Eyra smiled at him weakly. '_But, you do not know me!'_ Her mind screamed. '_You only know Astrid, and you have no idea that she is a woman who does not truly exist! The girl you know is nothing more than a façade!" _ The words which came out of her mouth, however, conveyed none of this.

"I am relieved to hear that you feel that way as well," was all she said. Thor seemed pleased with that response, and he carried on with the many stories he had to share.

* * *

It was later that evening that Eyra's next encounter with Loki would occur. Thor had been summoned to a political meeting of sorts, and Eyra made her way to one of the more secluded gardens which happened to be her favorite. There was a small fountain, and many butterflies had made their home there amongst the beautiful flowers. When she closed her eyes, Eyra could almost imagine she was back in that clearing. Seating herself on the lone bench in the area, she began to speak aloud to the darkness, the tears she had fought for so long finally slipping down her cheeks.

"Oh, Papa," she whispered. "I am so lost without you. I know I promised I would always be strong, but I just don't know if I can do it much longer. I promised to always be good, but the things I desire can no longer be described as such. I promised to always be kind, but my feelings toward many people are becoming anything but. I promised I would only marry a man who I truly loved and who truly loved me, but I fear that has become impossible." She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as her lower lip trembled violently. "I know you must be terribly disappointed in what I've become, and...I'm so sorry, Papa! I never wanted to let you down..."

It was then that Eyra felt gentle hands place themselves on her knees. Her eyes flew open to see Loki crouched down in front of her, watching her hesitantly. Quickly, brushing the tears from her cheeks, she gave a shaky laugh, trying to mask the embarrassment she felt at having been caught in such a state, especially by him.

"You seem to have a habit of catching me unawares."

A forced smile graced the prince's face, though it did not come close to reaching his eyes. "Eyra," he murmured, reaching a hand up to cup her face. She leaned into his touch, his cool hand helping to lessen the heat which filled her cheeks.

"It is nothing of import," she answered his unspoken question. "Simply a moment of weakness and self-pity." Loki gave her a look that clearly said he didn't buy it, but he, once again, respected her privacy. Since talking about it seemed to be out of the question, he settled on trying to cheer her up instead. Keeping his one hand on her knee, he rose to sit himself next to her on the bench. He wasn't sure what to say, but soon realized that his mere presence was helping to soothe her. They sat in comfortable silence until Eyra allowed a content smile to appear on her face.

"I have always enjoyed sitting outside. Watching the stars, listening to the birds, feeling the occasional chill breeze." She could feel Loki's eyes on her, though she kept her line of sight on the night sky. "It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and complex the universe is. I love to dream of just what role I may have to play in it."

She could hear the intrigue in his voice when he asked, "And what do you imagine it to be?"

When she turned to meet his gaze, her eyes were shining with excitement and passion. "I have always pictured myself helping people less fortunate than myself, for they are many. Children without parents, those who cannot afford to put food on their own tables, women who find themselves enslaved by men who cannot think past their own physical desires. There is so much good to be done and not just on Asgard, but on Alfheim, Vanaheim, Midgard, and each of the other realms. It would give me such joy to be able to play even a small part in bringing that to pass."

Loki's eyes bore into her own. "You have so much more depth and emotion than any maiden I have ever met," he observed. "Any person, even." Eyra blushed at the compliment. "And yet you do not let many others see you for the incredible girl that you truly are. Why not?"

Eyra tore her gaze away from his to stare down at his hand on her knee. "'It is not my place as a lady to have such grand ideas,'" she quoted. "All I am good for is to make an obedient, loving wife and produce children for my husband."

"That is what has been driven into your head by those who are afraid of what you could do," Loki insisted. "But you know that it is far from the truth."

"The way things are turning out for me," Eyra sighed. "It would appear that they were right. I am to be nothing more than a delicate flower, put on display for the realm to see and admire but never to learn what may lie deeper than just a pretty face and slight figure. I suppose that many would consider themselves incredibly blessed to be in my position, but I would gladly give it up to any of them, for all I see is that I am doomed to a life of little happiness, always striving to change myself to please those around me." A humorless laugh escaped her lips. "I suppose I just need to accept that as my plight and learn to be happy in spite of it." When she met Loki's eyes once more, they were filled with a sadness that tugged at her heart. Shaking her head, she shot him a teasing grin and poked him in the ribs, causing him to jump. "We always end up talking about me, but I want to know what has made you such a cold, reserved stick in the mud."

Loki's mouth dropped open at her words, and he stared at her in shock for a moment before letting out a delighted chortle. "No one has spoken to me like that for as long as I can remember!"

Eyra giggled. "It's because they're all afraid you'll freeze them over with that icy glare of yours."

His eyes danced with amusement. "And you are not?"

"Nope," she popped the 'p.' "Because, for some reason, when others are not around us, you become kind and fun and pleasant company to have. Although, you still are not as carefree as I remember you from before."

"I suppose that is what being a prince does to you," Loki shrugged. "Except in Thor's case, but I have never enjoyed having all of my actions picked apart by anyone who takes an interest in the royal family. People seem to bite their tongues more when I make them nervous."

"And me?" Eyra inquired softly.

"I do not feel the need to put on any airs with you," he explained simply.

She smiled, hesitantly resting her cheek on his shoulder. "You and I are the same, I think," She whispered. She felt him tense for a moment before relaxing against her touch.

"How do you mean?" He whispered in return.

"We both put on acts for others to see because that is what is expected of us. Yet, when in each other's company, we can allow those walls to disappear," she sighed contentedly, closing her eyes and playing absently with his fingers, which still rested on her knee. "Whatever my future may hold, I can at least find comfort in the fact that I have you to be myself around."

Loki said nothing in response, but rested his cheek gently against the top of her head and turned his hand to grasp her smaller one tenderly. Both knew they would likely regret this moment of intimacy, but neither could bring themselves to end it. Soon, Eyra's breathing evened out, and Loki knew she had fallen asleep.

Eyra felt a small bit of consciousness return to her as she was gently placed on something soft. Forcing her eyes open, she saw Loki carefully pulling her covers over her body. She burrowed into them, drawing them tightly around her chest.

"Loki," she mumbled drowsily, forgetting formalities in her tired state. The prince froze, not having realized she was awake.

"Yes, Eyra?" He whispered, carefully brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Thank you...for being here...and for helping me...I wish..." she yawned widely. "I wish...things could be different..." With that she slipped back into dreams. Loki gazed down at her sadly and gently pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Me too," he expressed regretfully before standing and walking out of the room.

* * *

**A/N: Two chapters in one day guys! I am on a role! I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it! I appreciate everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! It really does mean a lot to me!**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: It makes me so happy that you like it! I am kind of a fan of Eyra and Loki, (obviously) and I hope that I can write their relationship suitably. Thank you so much for your continued support!**


	5. Chapter 5

Eyra sat on the edge of her bed and stared down at her hands, feeling her stomach twist and her face burn at the events of the previous evening. She was engaged to Thor, and yet she had made it pretty clear to Loki that it was toward him her feelings leaned. '_He must think me a complete hussy,'_ she thought miserably. '_Maybe that is what I am...still, what in the nine realms possessed me to bear my soul to him like that? He couldn't possibly care about my pitiful woes.'_

With a groan of self-loathing, she forced herself to stand up and trudge to her bathroom. She had woken up early and had a few hours before Thor would arrive to escort her to breakfast, and a long, soothing bath was exactly what she needed to clear her head. Lowering herself into the water, she let out a sigh as she felt her muscles instantly begin to relax. With a smile, she gathered the energy around her and focused it in her hands, heating the water to exactly the right temperature. Satisfied with her work, she allowed her eyes to close and her mind to wander to the happiest thoughts and memories she could come up with.

When Thor and Eyra arrived at breakfast a few hours later, Loki was already seated at the table. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but this time it was not only Eyra who flushed and looked away. She approached her seat, and Thor pulled it out for her, allowing her to sit down comfortably before doing so himself. As soon as they had both dished themselves some food, he cleared his throat and looked at her apologetically.

"I am afraid I am leaving with my father this afternoon." Eyra and Loki both looked up in surprise at his words. "There is a council on Vanaheim which we must both attend as the Allfather and heir to the crown. We will be gone for around a fortnight. I regret having to leave you for so long, but I trust Loki will not be opposed to keeping you company. I am sure Mother would not protest at the thought of getting to know you better either."

Eyra's eyes darted directly across the table toward Loki for the smallest of seconds before she cleared her throat and forced an understanding smile. "There is no need to apologize. You have many responsibilities, and it would not be fit for me to come before the needs of the entire realm. I am sure I can convince Prince Loki to offer me his presence at least once or twice."

Thor chuckled, and Eyra could have sworn she saw the corner of Loki's mouth twitch. It could very well have been a figment of her imagination, however. The Allfather was absent from the table that morning, but Queen Frigga smiled warmly at Eyra.

"My son is correct, Astrid. I would delight greatly in having tea with you every day. It is only fitting that I should become better acquainted with the girl to whom my son's heart belongs." Frigga's eyes flickered toward Loki as she mentioned her son, and Eyra's stomach lurched as the queen, once again, gazed upon her with knowing eyes.

'_She knows,' _Eyra thought, panicked. '_What am I to do?'_

Despite the war raging in her head, Eyra managed to look at Frigga gratefully. "I would most appreciate that, Your Highness. Thank you very much."

She turned her gaze toward Loki again, only to find his eyes already on her. When he realized he had her attention, he quirked an eyebrow. Eyra attempted to mirror his expression, unsure of how to act toward him anymore and deciding that any behavior he displayed toward her would be acceptable. However, she immediately regretted that assumption when the prince's face turned red. He was obviously struggling to maintain his composure.

'_Oh dear, I've made him even more angry!' _Eyra's mind wailed hysterically. Then, when Loki bit his lip and looked away from her, turning back with a barely suppressed grin, she realized he was _laughing at her._ She gave him an affronted look and, with a 'hmph' of indignation, turned her focus once more to the food on her plate. The prince was having none of that, however, and, when casually clearing his throat did nothing to regain her attention, Eyra soon felt something tapping her foot under the table. With a frown, she realized it was Loki's own foot. This display, of course, only made her even more determined to deny him what he was seeking, and she still refused to look up from her food. She could not, though, help the widening of her eyes when his foot began to slowly creep up her leg. Gritting her teeth and clutching her skirt tightly with her free hand, she managed to ignore him until his foot had found its way a good three inches along her inner thigh. At that point, she gave in and shot him a withering glare. From above the table, he appeared the picture of innocence, casually chewing his food and not even looking at her. When he did not stop his ascent up her leg, she offered him a swift kick to the shin. He at once retreated and looked at her with laughter dancing in his eyes.

Thor was, fortunately, too engrossed in his own breakfast to notice the childish game his brother had started. Frigga, on the other hand, was keenly aware of the flirting between the two. She hid a smile and at once resolved that this relationship would end happily for Loki, whatever she had to do to ensure it.

* * *

That afternoon, Eyra, Frigga, and Loki stood by and bid Odin and Thor farewell. Thor stooped to give Eyra a fleeting kiss on the cheek, and she couldn't help but giggle slightly as his whiskers tickled her skin. He offered her a tender smile before mounting his horse and following his father through the gate.

Frigga clapped her hands together. "Well, I have many things to attend to. I trust that the two of you will find one another's company to be sufficient for the time being. I fear I may not even be able to make it down to supper this evening, so I hope that you will excuse my absence."

Loki smiled at his mother and kissed her cheek fondly. "Of course, Mother. Lady Astrid and I will be just fine on our own." He turned to Eyra and offered her a crooked arm. "Shall we? I believe you might enjoy the library."

Eyra's eyes lit up with excitement, and she took his proffered arm readily, delighted that any awkwardness between the two of them had been resolved over breakfast. Loki escorted her gracefully back into the palace and to a huge pair of double doors. When he opened them, Eyra sucked in a sharp breath at the sight before her. Rows upon rows of shelves upon shelves of every type of book she could possibly imagine lined the room. Loki smiled as he watched her walk slowly up and down the aisles, eyes wide with glee.

"You are welcome to any of them," he told her. She looked up at him with the most awestruck look on her face.

"Oh, Loki," she breathed. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

A low chuckle resounded from his chest. "I could have few of my personal favorites sent up to your room, if you like. Just to get you started."

"Would you?" She beamed at him. "That would be wonderful! Oh!" She pointed to a book before pulling it from its place. Loki followed her as she sat down with it, skimming its pages with a far away look in her eyes. "'_Pride and Prejudice.' _Have you read it?" He confessed that he had not. Eyra smiled at the book fondly. "It is a midgardian tale. My father used to read it to me as a child. He would tell me that he believed I would grow up to be the perfect combination of Jane and Elizabeth Bennett and that my story would end just as happily as theirs."

Loki seated himself next to her. "Tell me about your father," he requested softly. Eyra looked up at him, eyes swimming with the happy memories of her childhood.

"Oh, he was absolutely wonderful. I adored him with all my heart. He loved to be outdoors, and the two of us spent all the time we could hiking, fishing, swimming, and anything else that allowed us to be outside. It was he who first brought me to the clearing where we met." Understanding dawned on Loki's face as she continued. "For so many years, it was our spot that no one else knew about. He always believed I was destined for great things. He used to say to me, 'Eyra, you are the prettiest girl I have ever seen, and so talented, but do you know what is even more amazing?' And I would reply, 'What, Papa?' even though I knew exactly what he was going to say. He would smile at me and say these exact words: 'You are kind. You are strong. You are good. And that is more powerful than anything.' I never once doubted that I was his absolute pride and joy, and that he would be proud of me no matter what, as long as I did what made me happy."

"He sounds wonderful," Loki expressed sincerely. "At the very least, he raised a most charming, incredible daughter, and considering most other maidens with whom I've come in contact, that appears to be no easy feat."

Eyra gave him a teasing grin, cursing the blush she could feel adorning her cheeks. "Flattering words are a devil's trick, Your Highness."

"Ah, but it is not flattery if it is true, my lady," Loki returned with a smirk. She giggled, unable to think of a retort, and bumped her shoulder against his. He grinned and elbowed her in the ribs, causing her to let out an involuntary squeak of protest. Loki slowly turned to look at her, eyes gleaming mischievously.

"Don't you dare," she warned him, guessing correctly at his intentions. "Not in this library - So help me, Loki!" She screeched as he moved closer to her. The librarian shot her a disapproving glance, but said nothing given that she was with the prince.

"Well, well, well," Loki's voice was delightfully raspy, causing Eyra to shiver as his breath caressed her ear. "Little Eyra is ticklish, is she?" He backed away, smirking at her and taking pleasure in the effect he obviously had on her. "I'll have to make a note of that, although," he grinned at her wickedly. "There are much more pleasurable ways of getting you to scream my name."

Eyra's mouth fell open, and she gaped at him in shock, feeling the heat once again rise to her cheeks. Loki winked at her and grabbed her book, casually flipping through the pages. It took several minutes for her to regain the gift of speech at which point she snatched it back from him.

"Loki Odinson!" she hissed, swiping at his head. He barely managed to dodge her blow, letting out an indignant yelp in the process. A throat cleared behind them, and they turned sheepishly to see the displeased face of the librarian.

"Prince Loki," she was obviously fighting to remain respectful, despite her annoyance with him. "I am sorry, but there are other people in here looking for peace and quiet. If you are going to continue to disrupt that, I am afraid I am going to have ask you to leave."

Eyra watched in fascination as Loki's light expression quickly hardened into what she recognized to be the cold charade he created for others. Before he could give the woman a biting retort, Eyra interjected.

"I apologize, ma'am. We meant no disrespect. We were just about to leave anyway." She gave Loki a pointed look. "Come, it's a shame to waste such a beautiful day as this indoors." Loki shot the librarian one last scathing look before reluctantly following Eyra out. When they were out of earshot, however, he gave her a sidelong glance.

"You do realize it's raining, right?" She could hear the smirk in his voice.

"So?" She blushed. "What of it? I, for one, love to be outside in the rain." It was true, though she really hadn't known it to be raining when she mentioned the beauty of the weather.

"Is that so?" Loki chuckled. "Then, by all means, let us head outside."

A smile split across Eyra's face, and she grabbed his hand, dragging him along with her as she dashed out the nearest exit. As soon as the first drops of water hit her skin, she let out a shout of exhilaration, throwing her arms out and spinning around in circles. Loki blinked in surprise at this sudden display of gaiety. There was no one outside other than the two of them, though he suspected that if all of Asgard had been gathered at that spot, it wouldn't have stopped her from frolicking in the same manner. He, however, elected to stay within the shelter offered by the overhang on the roof, perfectly content to observe her antics.

It took only a few moments for Eyra to decide that Loki's behavior simply was not acceptable. Already dripping wet, she skipped over to him and grabbed his hand once more, eyes glittering merrily. "Come on, you killjoy! Dance with me!"

Loki shook his head at her, amused. "I would prefer to remain dry, actually, if you don't mind."

"Loki," she whined, a pretty pout forming on her lips. "I told you that you'd become a stick in the mud!"

He froze at that, raising his eyebrows at her. "A stick in the mud? Is that really what you think?"

"Well, I..." Eyra trailed off nervously.

A grin spread across his face, and he grabbed her waist, drawing her back out into the rain with him. "Well, we can't have that, can we?"

A taken aback Eyra could do nothing but gape at him for a moment as he spun her around. Then, a peal of laughter burst from her lips. Her hands flew to his shoulders, and they bounded across the courtyard in some sort of ridiculously spontaneous dance. It wasn't long before they were both soaked to the skin, but neither showed any desire to bring an end to their little cavort. Loki easily lifted his partner into the air before bringing her back down slowly, her body sliding against his own. They gazed at one another for a moment. Bright smiles adorned both of their faces, and their chests heaved as they regained their breath.

Then, Loki drew Eyra close to him and began to sing softly, swaying gently. Eyra recognized the tune and joined him, adding sweet harmonies as they waltzed. Their voices blended together beautifully, and, when they did come to a stop, she smiled up at him.

"I didn't know you could sing." Her hands had found their way to the back of his neck, and her fingers were now tangled in his hair.

"One of my many talents," Loki replied cockily.

Eyra giggled and stepped away from him, peeling her skirt away from her legs and stooping into a low curtsy. "I thank you for the dance, my lord."

He laughed and bowed in return. "It is I who should be thanking you, dear lady. However, I am afraid if we remain out here much longer, one of us is going to catch ill. What do you say to finding ourselves some dry clothes, some hot chocolate, and a warm fire?"

"I suppose that would be considered acceptable," Eyra agreed, and, as they made their way back to the palace arm in arm, she thought with a smile that she would be able to bear this fortnight with only Loki for real company quite easily.

* * *

**A/N: Definitely a pretty lighthearted chapter, and I sure hope you guys don't mind the fluffiness! Things are going to get pretty angsty in the next little while though, so I would enjoy it while it lasts, if I were you! ;) Anyway, I just wanted to send out a huge thank you to each and every one of you for showing so much support for this story! It means so much to me! Please review if you have any ideas as far as what you would like to see in it as well as any constructive criticism! I welcome all! :)**

**Dappledwing: Done! I am glad you are finding this all to be cute! That is rather the point, so woohoo! Mission accomplished! Thank you so much for your continued support!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Loki," Eyra began tentatively. It had been three days since Thor's departure from Asgard, and she and Loki had been nearly inseparable since that time. He was currently seated at the end of a large sofa while Eyra was laying across the length of it, her feet placed comfortably on his lap. His hand rested on her ankle while they each read books recommended to them by the other. This was a common position to find them in as they had grown remarkably comfortable with one another. Loki, to Eyra's delight, was quite enthralled with her choice for him: '_Pride and Prejudice.'_

He gave a soft 'hmm' in response to her use of his name, quickly finishing the paragraph he was on before giving her his full attention. Eyra took a deep breath.

"I was wondering...The first time that we met...you mentioned that...well...that you could do magic..."

To her surprise, his chest rumbled with laughter. "Are you finally going to ask me to train you in your own magical abilities?" He gave her a knowing smirk. Eyra stared at him, mouth hanging open.

"How did you...?"

"Every time you use it at all, energy converges around you, and I can sense it," he shrugged and smiled at her. "I've been waiting for you to work up the nerve to even bring it up. It actually didn't take you as long as I thought it would."

Eyra shook her head at him with a pout. "But, of course, it would have been absurd for you to save me the trouble and bring it up yourself."

"Honestly hadn't occurred to me," Loki winked. "Anyway, it has been amusing to see you attempt to breach the subject on numerous occasions, only to come up with some ridiculous excuse for why you started speaking." He then threw his head back and gave a hearty chortle. "My favorite was when you simply stared at me with that panicked look you get when you realize you've done something you shouldn't have and then suddenly blurted out 'What does kissing feel like?'"

Eyra flushed bright red as she recalled that unfortunate incident. She had, indeed, been about to ask him about the magic but decided against it. As she had stared at him, wondering what in the world to say, his lips had twitched into that infuriating smirk that she loved so much, and the question had entered, unbidden, into her mind of just what it might be like to kiss it right off of his smug face. The words had left her mouth before she could do anything to stop them. She was grateful that she had at least refrained from mentioning that it was him she was dreaming of kissing. He, on the other hand...

"Yes, well, it was you who informed me that you'd be more than willing to show me," she retorted.

Loki shot her a roguish grin. "Are you reconsidering my offer?"

"Oh, you are insufferable!" She howled with laughter, sitting up to smack his chest. He easily caught her wrist though, and gave her an exaggerated disapproving look.

"How are you ever going to defend yourself against adversaries more menacing than myself?" He let out a deep sigh. "I suppose I shall simply have to teach you my magic tricks, in hopes that it will do you a bit more good than your feeble attempts at this point."

Eyra opened her mouth to rebuke him for his words, but then her eyes widened excitedly. "You mean you'll do it?" She squealed.

Loki chuckled lightly. "Of course. But not until I finish this book."

She poked his cheek, giggling. "I told you it's wonderful! You wouldn't believe me, but now you can't even deny it!"

He turned his head and nipped at her finger, which she withdrew quickly, sticking her tongue out at him. "I think it is you who are insufferable," he told her matter-of-factly.

"But you wouldn't have me any other way," she gave him an angelic smile and a quick peck on the cheek. "Now, hurry and finish that book so we can get started!"

Loki reached up and tapped her nose with his forefinger. "I will if you stop distracting me, darling."

Eyra grumbled and flopped onto her back again, turning her attention back towards her own book. However, so excited was she at the prospect of her forthcoming lessons that she found it incredibly difficult to focus. Letting out a puff of frustration, she glanced at the time and stood up. Loki gave her a questioning look.

"I am going to have tea with your mother," she informed him. "I have thus far avoided taking her up on that offer because, frankly, the idea terrifies me, but anything is better than sitting here, bored out of my mind, waiting for you to hurry your royal rear up."

"You are terrified of my mother?" The prince's voice betrayed the laughter he was trying to fight back.

Eyra flushed. "Perhaps intimidated is a better word. She is to be my mother-in-law, after all."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room at her words, and Eyra cursed herself inwardly. As an unspoken rule, they no longer made any mention of her engagement to Thor, as it only served to dampen both of their spirits with regret and, of course, some measure of guilt regarding the underlying nature of their relationship. Although they had never breached the subject of what that nature was, neither of them could deny that there was a spark there that both terrified and excited them.

Loki cleared his throat awkwardly. "Right then. You should probably get on that then."

"Yes. Yes, of course." Eyra bit her lip and shot him an apologetic glance before hurrying from the room.

She was still silently berating herself when she arrived at the queen's door. As soon as she did, however, all of those thoughts fled her mind as her heart began to hammer.

_'This is it,' _she realized miserably, not having really considered the consequences before deciding to come. _'I am about to be forbidden from ever seeing Loki again. And to think that was the last conversation I am ever going to have with him...'_

Tears sprang into her eyes as she took a deep breath and made to knock on the door. She froze and stood there, fist raised, for several moments before letting her arm fall back to her side. She could not bring herself to do it. Her friendship with Loki meant more to her than anything, even if that was all it would ever be. She was just about to turn around and go back the way she came when the door opened to reveal Frigga, who did not look at all surprised to see her there.

"Lady Astrid," she smiled. "Have you come for tea?"

Eyra swallowed hard, trying to think of a way out of this, but could come up with nothing. "I...yes, Your Majesty..." she confirmed reluctantly.

"Well, please, come in!" The queen ushered her inside and to a small table which, Eyra noted with some wariness, was already set for two. "I normally have my tea out in the gardens, but they are having quite a bit of work done in them today. I hope you don't mind chatting in here instead."

"Oh, no, of course not!" Eyra swallowed. "This is lovely. And I must thank you, once again, for your invitation. It is most kind of you to have me."

"Well, I must confess that it is most exciting for me to have another woman around," Frigga winked. "And, after all, we ladies must stick together."

Eyra laughed softly. "Yes, I suppose that is true."

"How are you getting along adjusting to life here?" The queen asked, taking a sip from her cup.

"I am doing well," Eyra replied thoughtfully. "I suppose I hadn't really thought about that; I've just been trying to take it all in stride. I think that I will be very happy here, though I do still find myself a bit turned around every once in a while," she added sheepishly.

The queen laughed lightly. "Yes, the halls here can be a bit befuddling. I have faith that you will soon learn your way around, however. How are you and Thor getting along?"

Eyra felt her cheeks flush under Frigga's scrutinizing gaze. "Much better than I expected, if I'm honest. I was incredibly nervous about the arrangement, but he is very kind and treats me with great respect." She smiled to herself, pleased with her diplomatic response.

The queen was silent for a moment, eyeing her curiously. "And Loki? The two of you have spent a great deal of time in each other's company." Her casual tone did not fool Eyra for one second, and the poor girl felt her stomach lurch unpleasantly. She cleared her throat, her voice coming out slightly higher than normal.

"Loki has been most good to me. I have appreciated his willingness to spare me from my loneliness; it is very considerate of him to take so much time out of his regular routine to ensure that I am entertained." Eyra congratulated herself once more on her neutral answer.

"As a mother, there is nothing more important to me than the happiness of my children." Eyra's heart sank at her words, and she felt certain she was going to be sick.

"Your Majesty," she began, willing her mind to come up with something to say in order to appease the Queen.

"Eyra," Frigga held up a hand to stop her, giving her a meaningful look. Eyra's mouth fell open in shock at hearing her real name. Frigga leaned forward and spoke softly. "I have not seen my son this happy since he was a child." Although it was not clarified, Eyra was keenly aware that it was not Thor to whom the queen was referring. "For years I have longed to see a genuine smile cross his face, and since you have arrived, that has happened frequently. More than that, he laughs! It has brought me such joy to witness this, and I thank you, wonderful Eyra, for bringing that to pass."

Eyra was so choked up with emotion that she could not speak, so she simply nodded and gave the queen a watery smile. Frigga returned it and sat back in her seat as the pair finished their tea in content silence.

An hour or so later, Eyra returned to where Loki sat, still engrossed in the same novel. He did not even notice her entrance, so she sat on the other side of the couch and tucked her legs up under herself. She folded her arms on the arm and rested her head on them, feeling much better about everything after her chat with the queen of Asgard. A few minutes after she arrived, Loki looked up to check the time and gave a start when he saw her.

"Eyra! How long have you been there?"

"Not long. Only a few minutes," she smiled at him happily. He raised an eyebrow and returned it.

"Tea with Mother went well, I presume?"

Eyra rotated so that she could rest her head on his shoulder contentedly. "Oh, Loki," she sighed. "She's incredible. I don't know why I ever felt I had anything to fear."

Loki chuckled and kissed the top of her head lightly. "I am glad you've realized that. What did you two talk about?"

"Oh, nothing of importance," she responded vaguely and felt him stiffen next to her.

"Wait...she told you about the tree-climbing incident...didn't she?"

Eyra had no clue what he was talking about, but simply could not resist the opportunity, especially upon hearing the note of panic in his voice. She turned her head and gave him a knowing smirk and a wink before standing up to leave the room once again, allowing him to jump to whatever conclusion he may. He leaped up after her.

"Wait! Eyra! What did she tell you?! Eyra!"

Eyra hoisted up her skirts, dashing down the hallway. Loki took off after her, shouting his indignation, and she cackled delightedly, vowing to ask Frigga about the tree-climbing incident the next time they had tea.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, I simply adore Frigga, and I really hope that I did her character justice! As always, thank you to everyone who followed/favorite/reviewed, and please continue to let me know what you think!**

**Deductions-Of-Sherlolly: Haha, like I just said, I LOVE Frigga! She is so wonderful! I hope their conversation lived up to your expectations. There will be plenty more to come!**

**Dappledwing: Thank you so much! Here you go! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

"Focus!" Loki instructed for what seemed like the billionth time. "If you don't, you'll either put too much into it or not enough! It's a very fine line! And I would prefer not to be blown up because you can't seem to keep your mind from wandering!"

Eyra gritted her teeth and shot him a glare. "I'm not stupid enough to blow us to bits, you know!" They had been at this for hours, and she was exhausted, hungry, and sick and tired of him expecting her to "focus" when he was standing so tantalizingly close to her.

"It has nothing to do with stupidity, and you know full well that's not what I'm getting at," Loki reprimanded her. "But I am not exaggerating when I say that if you don't put enough focus into what you are doing, it could be life threatening!"

"I'm trying!" Eyra exploded, raising the little globe of energy she'd been collecting and flinging it at the ground. Loki gave her an aghast stare. "But how do you expect me to concentrate with you hovering over my shoulder and nitpicking my every move?!"

Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath, obviously putting everything he had into not flying off the handle at her. "I think perhaps we have done enough for today," he said calmly.

"Well, it's about bloody time," Eyra muttered grumpily. Her whole body ached, her head was pounding, and her clothes were drenched with sweat. She snatched up a small towel and wiped her face with it before shoving it into Loki's chest and marching across the courtyard.

"Eyra..." he sighed. "Eyra, wait." When she ignored him and continued on her way back into the palace, he walked after her at a brisk pace, easily catching up with her with his long legs. Grabbing her elbow, he pulled her back around to face him. "Eyra." It was clear from his tone of voice that his patience was wearing thin.

"Let go of me, Loki," she insisted, refusing to meet his gaze. "I need to wash up and get a change of clothes."

"Eyra-" he repeated.

"Stop saying that!" She yanked her arm out of his grasp. He stared at her in bewilderment.

"Stop-what...your name?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean...I don't know!" She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me. I just...I think I'm just tired. I'm going to...I'm just going to go up and...get some rest..."

Loki still looked more hurt and confused than she had ever seen him, but he backed away slightly. "Alright...we'll continue training tomorrow then?"

"Y-yeah...if...if I'm feeling up to it..."

"Right...yes...yes of course..."

Eyra couldn't stand to see the pain in his eyes any longer, so she turned on her heel and hurried back into the palace and up to her chambers. The truth was, she knew exactly what was wrong with her, but she also knew that taking it out on Loki had not been justified. It wasn't his fault, after all. Well, not really.

After peeling off her sopping wet tunic and leggings and scrubbing every inch of her body until she at last felt clean again, Eyra collapsed, face-first, onto her bed with a groan. Tears sprang, unbidden, into her eyes, and, despite her best efforts, a small choking sob escaped her throat. The whirlwind of emotions she had been feeling since she arrived at the palace came pouring out as she gasped and shuddered, curling into the fetal position and clutching tightly at her blankets.

She was, in a phrase, disgusted with herself.

She had forced herself to ignore it until this point, but as Loki had gotten her so worked up and exhausted while, at the same time, making her heart hammer and her spine shiver as he would gently correct her technique, she found herself less and less able to push those feelings to the back of her mind. Her barriers broke, and she was forced to accept that she could not, in good conscience, allow things to continue the way they were.

She was unfaithful. Not in deed, perhaps, but in her mind and in her heart most assuredly. She could no longer deny that she was in love with Loki, and that was simply unacceptable. Every second she spent with him was a risk, not only of dishonoring herself and her family, but of betraying the standard of integrity and character to which she had always held herself. It was absolutely shameful that she had even allowed her feelings to progress this far.

But, oh how her heart ached at the thought of losing him! He was the closest friend she had ever had, and he meant, dare she say it, as much to her as her father. She had never thought she would be able to say that of anyone, but Loki had wormed his way deeper into her heart than she had ever allowed anyone. She knew he felt the same way, but in this case, that only made things worse. If she could pine after him on her own, that would be one thing, but knowing she held his heart as well only made the temptation all the stronger.

Her confusion only grew when she struggled to decide what her father would want her to do. She knew that he would want her to be with Loki because he made her happy, but she also knew that he would want her to remain true to herself and her principles of honesty and morality. She could not refuse to marry Thor, she could not maintain any sort of romantic affiliation with Loki behind his brother's back, and yet she could not be happy married to the brother of the man she loved.

With a shuddering breath, Eyra realized what she had to do. Although the very idea of it caused her heart to squeeze painfully in her chest, she determined that it was the only possible solution. She had to cut off all ties with Loki. Only temporarily, until they could both move on from whatever impossible dreams they had developed. She would do everything within her power to fall in love with Thor, and Loki, she was certain, would be able to easily erase her from his heart. Once all romantic feelings between them had been extinguished, then they could rebuild their friendship on a completely platonic foundation. It was not ideal, but it was the only thing she could think of that would resolve all of the consequences of her actions.

That night at dinner, Eyra carefully avoided Loki's tentative, questioning gaze. Call her a chicken, but she could not bring herself to discuss her decision with him. She assumed he would get the hint soon enough. She thought with an inward sigh of how long of a week it was going to be until Thor came back and offered her some distraction, but she convinced herself that this was all necessary. Loki eventually gave up trying to get her attention and began absently picking at the food on his plate.

Frigga observed this new behavior with concern, and when Eyra excused herself and quietly left to retire for the night, Loki's were not the only eyes that followed her out, grief and confusion reflected in each.

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**A/N: Aw man! The fun and fluff has come to an abrupt halt! Let the angst and the drama begin! This is by far the shortest chapter I've written, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Please review and let me know what you think!**

**Deadlythorn1997: I am so glad! Sorry, no tree-climbing incident in this chapter, but never fear! It will come eventually! I do love the chance to send a bit of embarrassment in Loki's direction!**

**sarahbearalove: Your review made my whole day! I'm sorry you were having a rough time, but I am so glad that I was able to cheer you up! I hope things look up for you soon! Thank you for your feedback and for being so positive!**

**Dappledwing: Thank you! I love childlike Loki! It might just me, but I have always imagined Loki, before he became all hurt and damaged and angry, to really be something quite a bit like Tom Hiddleston. You just have to get past all the rage and grief in order to see it. But, again, maybe that's just my weirdo interpretation haha!**

**Anon: Aw shucks, YOU are amazing! :) Aren't they cute? Playful relationships are the best! I think, being the god of mischief and all that, Loki would be a really fun boyfriend. You know, before his psychotic break, as I like to call it...**


	8. Chapter 8

Eyra was miserable.

She had known, of course, that the transition would be difficult, but she had in no way anticipated just how awful she was going to feel. The loneliness she felt was greater than any she had ever experienced, even during the time after her mother's marriage to Inghard. At least then she had her brothers for company, and they were quite adept at cheering her up. This time, however, there were also feelings of deep guilt and regret which no longer had anything to do with Thor but solely revolved around Loki.

The first couple of days, he had been quite determined to make amends with her. He had assumed that she was simply upset with him for how their first training session had gone and made every attempt to apologize. It seemed that every time Eyra turned a corner, he was there with his latest idea, and she hated herself for the way his actions affected her.

He had begun with a simple, yet sincere apology, having suddenly cut her off on her way to the library. Her traitorous heart had fluttered pleasantly at the pleading look in his eyes and the fact that he cared enough about their relationship to seek her out as he had.

When that didn't work, he had written her a wonderful letter detailing how amazing she was and how highly he thought of her. When a servant had delivered it to her, she found herself unable to stop her tears from flowing and even more unable to throw it away. It now resided under her pillow and was almost falling apart from being folded and unfolded so much.

When she gave him no indication that she had even received his note, he had personally brought her a platter filled with all of her favorite foods and treats. She had politely thanked him for thinking of her before shutting the door, scolding herself for being so delighted that he knew her well enough to put together such an arrangement.

He continued to have his favorite books sent up to her room. She made to acknowledgment of it to him, but she read every single one of them and found herself analyzing them to discover whatever that being one of his favorites had to say about him.

She returned to her room one day to find it decorated with flowers and butterflies (which turned out to be an illusion). It was incredibly reminiscent of their favorite garden to sit in, and she found herself haunted by those memories and by the desire to run back to him so that they could create more.

The most meaningful thing he had done for her was to leave a thank you note from an orphanage for an impossibly large donation which had been made in her name. She had made no such donation, but she knew exactly who had. Her knees had gone weak at that point as she realized how much he remembered of their conversations and how he knew exactly how to get her heart to melt.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing about it all was that he seemed to have turned it into some sort of game, trying to outdo himself with each new plan he carried out. She had to smile in spite of herself at just how like him that was. It was one of the things she loved most about him: that he had an uncanny ability to find fun in almost every situation. He could make her smile and laugh like no one else could, regardless of her circumstances at the time, and she could not decide whether she was elated or irritated that he was somehow managing to do so even when she was refusing to speak with him.

Of course, given that Loki was not in any way stupid, he soon figured out that there was something different going on than what he had originally thought. After about five days, he stopped with the theatrics and started trying to speak with her about what was going on. Eyra had somehow been able to dodge that conversation so far, but had taken to spending almost all of her time in her chambers in an effort to avoid him. The only times she left, in fact, were to have tea with Frigga.

The queen made no direct mention of any of her observations concerning these matters, but she hinted strongly that she desired for Eyra and Loki to sort out whatever had happened. Eyra simply changed the subject during those times, feeling that she did not understand the problem or the reasons for it. Frigga would then sigh and allow for the shift, knowing that Eyra would heed her counsel in due time.

It had been ten days since this all began, and Eyra now sat in front of her mirror, attempting to make herself look as nice as possible for Thor and the Allfather's return. As she gazed at herself, she began to realize with concern just how much of a toll the situation was taking on her. Her skin was even more pale than usual, and her eyes, along with being sunken in, held a tired, almost dead look. It was clear that she had lost a couple of pounds as well. Looking back, it was understandable that she was being affected physically. She had been brought food three times a day, but found herself incapable of eating more than a few bites without being sick. Her sleep was plagued with nightmares, and it soon became nearly impossible for her to even fall asleep. She tossed and turned and grumbled for hours every night, haunted by guilt and fear of the future.

With a sigh, Eyra stood up and checked herself one last time before leaving her room and making her way down to the gate where Thor would be arriving. Her heart hammered in her chest as she nervously considered the task before her.

_'Focus,' _she attempted to motivate herself. _'It's going to take a lot of concentration and a lot of willpower, but you can do it if you focus hard enough.' _She paused for a moment, jaw clenching slightly as she realized her inner voice had become Loki. _'You've got to be kidding me,' _she thought mournfully. _'There really is no escape from you, is there?'_

When she arrived at the gate, Eyra realized with a groan that Loki was the only one there yet. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and came to stand next to him, forcing herself not to spare him even the smallest glance. She could, however, feel his eyes trained on her as she stared forward determinedly.

"Eyra...or...Astrid...or whatever you want me to call you," Eyra's heart broke at the weary, vulnerable tone his voice held. Still, she refused to meet his gaze. He took a shaky breath and continued. "I..I don't really know what's happened to make you despise me so..." Eyra sucked in a quick breath. Was that really what he thought? "But please...whatever I did to cause this...please tell me so that I can make it up to you..."

Eyra bit her lip and somehow managed to keep her voice steady, though to her it sounded hollow and distant. "You have done nothing to upset me, Your Highness," Loki flinched when she neglected to call him by his own name. "I simply realized that the amount of time we were spending together could hardly be considered appropriate."

"Well then...could we not...continue to be friends and simply spend less time with one another?" Eyra had never heard him sound so pleading and broken. With that, her resolve suddenly shattered, and she found herself turning toward him with tears filling her eyes.

"Loki..." she choked. She had no idea what she was going to say. Was she going to explain to him what had really caused her sudden distance? Was she going to continue to be vague and kindly tell him that she simply couldn't do it? Was she going to agree, despite all logic screaming at her that it was a horrible idea?

She never got the chance to find out though, as when their eyes met, she felt a sudden wave of shock and emotion jolt through her. It had been days since she had seen those captivating eyes, and they had always been a weakness for her. Whatever words she had been about to say caught in her throat, and she simply found herself staring up at him with her hands trembling.

Loki's brow furrowed as he took note of her state. "Eyra," he murmured. "You're not well." He gently took her hands in his own, steadying them as his eyes studied her with careful concern. Eyra shivered involuntarily at the sorely missed contact. When his hand reached up to cup her cheek tenderly, she found herself leaning toward him as he, in turn, bent down slowly. It was as if magnets were drawing them together, and Eyra knew she wouldn't have been able to stop herself if she wanted to. Her breathing became uneven, and all thoughts of what consequences this action might entail fled from her mind. She was only aware of how close he had suddenly gotten, or was it she who had closed the distance? It didn't matter however, as his nose brushed lightly against her own, and she could feel his cool breath dancing across her face...

Then, with a sudden crack, the gate began to open, signaling the arrival of Thor and Odin and wrenching Eyra back to her own voice of reason. With a sharp intake of breath, she sprang away from Loki, who himself looked shocked at the turn of events that had nearly taken place. They stared at each other with wide eyes for a moment before whipping around to feign a casual air as the two horses rode through. Thor immediately leapt from his mount and strode toward Eyra, giving her an enthusiastic kiss on the cheek.

"Astrid, it is lovely to see you again. I thought of you every day on Vanaheim. How have you fared?"

Eyra gave him a convincing smile. "I have been quite well, thank you. I have learned my way around the palace much better and have truly grown to love it here. It is wonderful that you have returned, though. That will only make things better."

Thor beamed at her, but before he could say another word, Odin had spoken. "Where is Frigga?"

Eyra looked around in surprise. She had been so caught up in the moment with Loki that she had not even noticed that the queen had failed to arrive. At that moment, she heard Frigga's voice from behind her.

"I am here. I do apologize for my tardiness. I had an important matter to attend to."

When the queen's hopeful eyes landed on Eyra and Loki, Eyra realized with a start that she had been late on purpose in order to give the two of them time alone to sort things out. Eyra had to laugh humorlessly to herself at the fact that quite the opposite had occurred. She was certain that things were going to be even worse between Loki and herself that they had before.

As Odin and Frigga embraced tenderly, Thor turned to Eyra with a bright smile. "Come. You must tell me of what your time in my absence has consisted. Have you made good friends with the Lady Sif?"

As he guided her away, Eyra confessed that she had not. "I honestly haven't even seen her or any of the others since you left." She was inwardly grateful that he was taking her away from the heavy tension that rested between herself and the prince.

Thor frowned, but recovered quickly. "Well, we shall simply have to change that! You should have a good female companion, and Sif is the perfect candidate! The Warriors Three will be great company to you as well, I am sure."

Eyra smiled up at him. "I would love to get to know them, Thor. Would it be alright if I was to join you on the training grounds? I fear I have never lifted a weapon, but I have always thought it a useful skill to have. Perhaps you could teach me, and it would also afford me time with your friends."

"What a wonderful idea, Astrid!" Thor looked absolutely thrilled with the prospect, and Eyra had to smile at him fondly. He was like a huge, kind, snuggly bear. She, at his request, began to tell him of some of her experiences over the past few weeks. He was delighted that she was developing a close relationship with his mother, and he commented happily on every piece of good news she had to share with him. The knot of guilt Eyra felt over whatever was going on between her and Loki doubled in size as they conversed. Thor had done nothing to deserve a bride who preferred his brother over him.

As entertaining as her afternoon with her fiancé was, Eyra found herself constantly distracted by feelings of shame. When Thor dropped her off at her chambers that evening, she discovered that sleep even harder to come by than normal. Her mind swam with confusion over whether or not she was doing the right thing and the tiniest (or at least she convinced herself it was tiny) bit of regret over having had her moment with Loki interrupted. With a groan, she brought her palms up to her eyes and applied pressure in an attempt to soothe the headache which had come upon her.

_'Why is this happening to me? What am I going to do?'_

* * *

**A/N: Huhhhh poor kids. :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I have been so overwhelmed by the positive response to this story! Thank you all so much for your support!**

**sarahbearalove: Ugh, tell me about it! I kind of just want to scream at her for making stupid decisions! Oh wait... ;) Haha thanks so much for your review! **

**Chyanne200: Wow, that was really great to read! Thanks a bunch for that! I hope that I can continue on that road! :)**

**anon: Haha, I told you guys to enjoy it while it lasted! Don't worry, things will look up soon enough. Or will they? o_O**

**Gabrielle607: Thanks so much! I am sure glad you enjoy the angst to much, because there is definitely plenty more of that to come! And I agree, Loki drama is pretty much the best!**

**Dappledwing: Boom! Wish granted! Haha I hope it was satisfactory!**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Doesn't it just kind of make you want to grab her by the shoulders and shake her? Aye, aye, aye. She is, at this point, the queen of poor decision making. *Shakes head in disappointment* Haha thank you so much for all your reviews! I look forward to them after every chapter!**

**pao: I am delighted to hear that! I hope this chapter is a good dessert after your dinner tonight. ;) Thanks so much for your review! I really appreciate your support!**


	9. Chapter 9

Asgard was thrilled at the return of its king and prince. It was unclear whether its people were glad to have them back or just excited at the prospect of the ball that would be held according to tradition. Either way, the palace was abuzz with anticipation. Eyra found herself looking forward to the event as well. She had never been allowed to attend any of the celebrations held before, and she was quite curious to see what all the fuss was about. In addition, her family would be coming as well. They would be arriving a day early, and Eyra could not wait to see her mother and brothers again.

To pass the time (as well as to distract herself from Loki, though she was loathe to admit it), she spent countless hours on the training grounds with Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three. Apart from Sif, they had all readily agreed that it would be great fun to try and teach her some skill with a sword, and they had begun first thing the morning after Thor's return from Vanaheim. During that time, a startling revelation was made by all present.

Eyra was awful.

It wasn't that she lacked the ability to learn to wield a weapon, it was just that such a huge, heavy sword made her clumsy and slow. The others tried very hard to convince her that it was perfectly normal to start out like that and to keep working at it, but Eyra could see right through them. With a laugh, she had told them that she really didn't think swordplay was her forte, and they had immediately confessed that they had not seen someone so terrible at it in centuries.

"Perhaps twin knives would be a better option for you, Astrid," Fandral had suggested. "You are lithe and nimble which would probably work better with a weapon of that sort."

"That is true, Fandral!" Thor had declared. "Loki is incredibly skilled with his twin blades! I am sure he would not object to training you!"

Eyra's eyes had widened at that, and she shook her head quickly, claiming she had bothered him enough already. Thor had disagreed with her wholeheartedly, but had eventually agreed to having Sif teach her instead. Sif, though she held her tongue, was clearly rather dismayed with this arrangement, but Eyra was overjoyed at the opportunity to get to know the other woman and figure out how to set aside their differences. Thor was right. She needed a good female friend.

And so, Eyra found herself being awakened every morning at the crack of dawn to practice. Fandral had been correct. She was much more capable of wielding the double blades than with a sword, and, though she could hardly be considered a natural, she was a fast learner and was becoming more and more skilled every day. It actually helped that Sif kindled a dislike for her, as she was not wont to demand any less than the very best Eyra could give. Each day, Eyra returned to her chambers to wash up completely exhausted, but satisfied with her progress. It was not until about a week after this routine had begun, however, that she made her first real attempt at breaking down the wall between herself and her comrade.

They had just finished their last sparring round of the morning. Sif had, obviously, slaughtered her, but Eyra took great satisfaction in the fact that she had lasted much longer than she ever had before. As Sif had stepped away from her, she could have sworn she saw a pleased glint in the warrior's eye. Eyra took that as her cue.

"Sif," she began tentatively as they cleaned their weapons and put them away. Sif glanced at her with a neutral expression and nodded for her to continue. "I was wondering...it's been incredibly kind of you to train me, and...it would mean a lot to me if you would have tea with me as a small gesture of my gratitude..."

Sif stared at her for a second, and Eyra bit her lip, preparing herself for rejection. What she heard, however, surprised her. "Well, I don't suppose it could hurt anything. When and where?"

"How about this afternoon in the gardens?" Eyra beamed at her happily. Sif nodded curtly.

"Very well, Astrid, I will be there. Thank you for the invitation."

Tea with Sif was...interesting. She still seemed rather reluctant to talk much, but Eyra made sure to keep a conversation going. Granted, it was she who was doing most of the talking, but Sif did begin to open up a bit more throughout the hour or so they were together. When they finished, she admitted that it was nice to talk to another girl, and it was decided that this would become a regular occurrence.

That would have to wait, however, as Eyra's family arrived at the palace the next afternoon. She hurried back to her chambers after lunch and washed up, did her hair, and dressed herself as nicely as she had in years. When she was satisfied with her work, she dashed back out the door and down the hall in hopes of being able to greet them as they arrived. That plan went out the window, however, when she rounded a corner and suddenly crashed into a body.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" She gasped, looking up at whoever it was she had run into. She froze as she was met with a pair of stunned emeralds staring back at her. "Loki," she breathed before she could process everything.

Since their almost kiss at the gate, Eyra had put forth every effort to avoid encountering the youngest prince. It was something she simply couldn't handle at this point, and she convinced herself that he was now avoiding her as well. That thought helped to prevent the sorrow she felt at what she must be doing to him, but the truth was that the exact opposite was true. He had sought her out constantly since that incident, but had discovered that it was not easy to get her alone to figure out what was going on. She seemed to be constantly in the company of at least one other person, and it wasn't as though he could exactly ask to speak to her alone without arousing suspicion. His heart had soared, however, when he had looked down to see her accidentally in his arms.

"Eyra." His hands had flown to her waist at their collision, and Eyra felt her knees go weak at the contact. "Eyra, could we talk?"

She almost agreed. She really did. In fact, she was certain that she would have had it not been for the fact that she was so excited to see her family. "I'm sorry, Loki, but I'm going to meet my family. They are going to be here any moment." With that, she somehow built up the willpower to pull away from him and continue hurriedly on her way. Loki stared after her sorrowfully, and Eyra cursed herself for the effect he still had over her. This was not getting any easier despite what she had hoped for in the beginning. She forced those thoughts from her mind, however, at the sight of the loved ones she hadn't seen for a month.

"Bryn!" She hoisted her skirts up and sprinted forward. The second eldest met her halfway and caught her in a tight embrace, each of them shedding a tear or two. "Oh, Bryn how I've missed you! And how glad I am to see you!"

"You too, Eyra-Bear," he mumbled in her ear. "Life is so dull without you around to make me laugh."

Eyra felt herself being pulled out of Brynjar's arms and into another pair. "I've missed you, munchkin!" Asmund chuckled, though his voice was thick with emotion. "How've you been?"

"I've been well enough, Az." Eyra buried her face in her oldest brother's chest. "How are you?"

"Just happy to see you again." He kissed the top of her head before allowing their mother to take over.

"Oh Ey...Astrid..." she caught herself, hugging her only daughter. "I'm so proud of you."

Inghard's arm suddenly wrapped itself around Brenna's shoulders. "As am I, Astrid. This is such a wonderful opportunity for all of us."

Eyra forced a polite smile as she looked at him, though she felt a chill run down her spine at his words. Was he making her do this for his own selfish ambitions? Shaking the thought from her head, she looked around at her family, grinning radiantly.

"I am so thrilled that you are all here," she told them sincerely. "I've missed you immensely."

"I can't wait to meet your fiancé, dear!" Her mother expressed. "Is he as handsome as they say? How is your relationship faring?"

"He is very handsome," Eyra responded with a strained smile. "We are doing very well, though around half of my time here has been spent while he was on Vanaheim."

"I do hope that didn't mean you encountered his brother too often," Inghard said with undisguised contempt. "Loki, is it? I hear he is as no good as they come, always causing some sort of grief for his parents and the whole realm. I'm sure he would be delighted to do the same to you."

Eyra fought to keep a carefully neutral expression, though she could not keep her eyes from hardening in rage. "Prince Loki has been wonderful to me," she retorted. "He strove to ensure that I was not lonely in the slightest during Thor's absence and has been lovely company to have."

Inghard laughed heartily. "Oh, Astrid, how you jest!"

Eyra's hands shook with anger, and she was about to tell him off again when her brothers each put an arm around her shoulders.

"May we steal her for some much-needed brother/sister time?" Brynjar asked hopefully.

Brenna opened her mouth to protest, but Inghard waved his hand. "Be on your way. I must introduce your mother to Queen Frigga," he said importantly.

Asmund and Brynjar each gave him a smile of thanks before dragging their sister outside with them. As soon as they were out of earshot, however, they stopped and turned to her, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Care to tell us what that was all about?" Bryn smirked.

"What what was all about?" She asked innocently, though she knew exactly to what they were referring.

They both gave her looks that clearly said they didn't buy her act, but Asmund clarified anyway. "Your sudden leap to Prince Loki's defense? You've never talked back to Inghard like that."

Eyra felt her face flush hot, but shrugged casually. "Loki is my friend." Her voice squeaked slightly. "I didn't want to listen to Inghard insult my friend. That's all."

Her brothers glanced at each other in disbelief, but let the matter drop. "If you say so," Bryn said doubtfully.

Eyra spent the rest of the afternoon showing them all of her favorite places in the palace: the gardens, the library, the beautiful balconies, etc. She didn't share much about what she had been up to since she left him, but her brothers were thrilled to learn that she was being trained to fight.

It soon grew late, and the three of them made their way to dinner with the royal family. It passed without incident, though Eyra found herself beyond annoyed at Inghard's constant comments about her relationship with Thor. He showered the eldest prince with compliments and questions, as though trying to win his stepdaughter's fiancé's heart himself. He made not one acknowledgment of Loki throughout all of dinner, though Eyra could see both of her brothers scrutinizing Loki and herself carefully as though trying to deduce what manner of relationship they had. Loki, as usual, tried his darnedest to catch her gaze, and she found herself giving in every once in awhile. He would get this look in his eyes like he had just performed the most spectacular feat known to the nine realms, and then he would offer her a tentative smile. Eyra would blush deeply and return it uncertainly before catching herself and looking away again. None of this went unnoticed by her brothers or Frigga, who had still not given up hope of the two of them mending their relationship.

As each of them retired to their beds that night, Eyra found herself once more embraced by her entire family. As Asmund held her close, he whispered in her ear, "Goodnight, little munchkin. Sleep well! Tomorrow is to be your very first ball!"

_'Yes,' _Eyra thought to herself as she made her way up to her chambers. _'It is to be my first ball.' _She could not help, as she drifted off to sleep, but consider just how much more excited she would be for the event if she was to be attending on Loki's arm. With a sigh, she forced the thoughts from her mind, though her dreams were filled with countless variations of sparkling emerald eyes.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed Chapter 9! Thanks again to everyone who continues to show me so much support! You are wonderful!**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Haha gosh dang it Thor! That is a perfect description of him! I do love him, but yes, he is sort of getting in the way here, isn't he?**

**sarahbearalove: Oh sorry! Huhhhh can't they just admit they love each other finally? Haha thank you for your review!**

**chyanne200: Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope this chap was satisfactory as well! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"So how are you really?" Brynjar questioned Eyra the next morning. They were seated together in one of the gardens, and Eyra felt completely at peace for the first time since her arrival at the palace. Although she loved Asmund with all her heart, she and Brynjar had always been the closest of the three siblings. She wasn't sure where the eldest had gotten off to, but she was perfectly content to have this time alone with her favorite brother.

"Life here is incredible, Bryn," she dodged his question carefully. "I am no longer subjected to tedious lessons on 'how to be a lady,' I can walk in the gardens every day, admire the stars each night from my balcony, and I am learning to fight. My fiancé is the perfect gentleman; he cares for me and is kind, fun, and thoughtful. I am making plenty of friends."

Brynjar sighed and put an arm around his sister's shoulders. "Then why are you so unhappy?"

Eyra's jaw clenched for a moment. "What makes you think I am unhappy?" she whispered.

"You are much thinner than when I last saw you, you look exhausted, your smiles rarely reach your eyes, and you are constantly distracted by thoughts of something," he listed. "And I have an inkling of what that something may be."

Eyra did not ask him what those suspicions were. She was certain that he was correct, and she knew that, should he ask her directly, she would have to confess that he was right.

"I suppose I am still struggling with the idea of this marriage. Although I love Thor dearly, he is not someone who I would have chosen to spend my entire life bound to. I will get used to it though. I have a good five thousand years to sort out my feelings, after all."

Bryn sighed again and hugged Eyra tightly. "If I could spare you from this, I would, Eyra-Bear. In a heartbeat. This is not what Father, Asmund, or I ever wanted for you." Eyra felt her eyes well up with tears, and she snuggled against her brother's chest with a sniff.

"I fear he would be very disappointed in me if he were to see me now," she wept, struggling to speak clearly.

"Don't say that!" Brynjar scolded. "Don't you ever say that! Father would never be disappointed in you! He trusted you to, in the end at least, always make the decision that would make you the most happy." Eyra's heart pounded at his words. "He cherished you more dearly than I have ever seen another man cherish his daughter. He only ever wanted what was best for you."

"And what would that be in this situation?" She whispered, and Brynjar was suddenly reminded of the little girl he once knew who would find his room in the middle of the night after she'd had a nightmare. As his heartstrings tugged painfully, he tightened his arms around his baby sister's small body.

"I don't know," he confessed. "That is something that you will have to figure out on your own. The only advice I can truly give you is to follow your heart and remember that you are loved. That will, I hope, at least offer you some degree of comfort." Eyra was looking up at him and shaking her head in amazement. "What is it?"

She gave him a watery smile. "I guess I never realized just how much like Papa you've become. I do believe those are the exact words he would have said to me were he with us now."

Bryn looked touched at her words and kissed her forehead tenderly in thanks, though his next words were still meant completely for her. "Then know that I am proud beyond measure of the woman you've become, and Papa would surely feel the same way."

Eyra lifted herself up to press her lips to his cheek affectionately before settling back down into his embrace. The two sat together in comfortable silence for the rest of the morning, simply grateful to have the joy of one another's presence once again.

* * *

When Eyra returned to her chambers that afternoon to get ready for the ball, she was surprised to find Sif waiting patiently outside her door. "Sif!" She exclaimed. "What can I do for you?"

The warrior looked slightly awkward. "Well, I thought, given that we are the only two young maidens about this place, it would be fitting for us to get ready together."

"I think that is a wonderful idea!" Eyra was ecstatic at this unexpected turn of events. "Please, come in!"

Sif seemed hesitant as she followed Eyra into the room. Eyra quickly pulled an extra seat in front of the mirror before opening her wardrobe. She still had not decided what to wear; the dozens of gowns she owned simply overwhelmed her. After a moment of fruitless contemplation, she turned to Sif sheepishly.

"Did you bring what you are going to wear?" Sif nodded and gestured toward a small case she had with her. "Perfect! Please, put it on while I try to come to a decision on the same matter..."

Instead of doing as Eyra suggested, Sif moved forward to stand next to her, eyeing the many fabrics before her thoughtfully. "I think you should wear this one," she said decidedly after a moment, pulling out a sparkling gold gown. "It would compliment your skin nicely and make you look like a beautiful flame with that hair of yours."

Eyra spread the gown delicately on her bed, inspecting it carefully. It truly was lovely with a fitted bodice covered in an intricate gold leaf pattern. The skirt loosened at the hips, flowing out in a shimmery silk fabric, and the design continued until about halfway down the thigh. She turned to Sif with a grateful smile. "It's perfect," she told her sincerely.

Sif inclined her head in acknowledgment, and the two each changed into their respective outfits. When Eyra saw Sif, her mouth fell open in awe. She was wearing a pale blue gown made of flowing material which did not hug her body tightly, but was fitted just enough to show that there were definite curves hiding underneath. Sparkling diamonds were scattered across the skirt and bunched together more tightly the higher they got.

"Oh, Sif," Eyra breathed. "You are going to be the desire of every young man in attendance tonight!"

Sif offered her a small smile before turning to herself in the mirror and whispering regretfully. "All but one." Eyra barely managed to catch her words, and her heart went out to her companion. It was not the time, however, to have that particular conversation.

A couple of hours later, they had finished getting ready. Eyra had curled her hair and pinned it atop her head where she had woven gold leaves to match her gown. Sif had curled her hair as well, but left it to flow nicely down her back. They turned to offer each other small smiles, pleased with their efforts.

The two women made their way down to the grand hall together, though Sif had to leave Eyra when they met Thor just outside the doors. He looked at her with a fond smile on his face as he offered her his arm.

"You look beautiful, Astrid," he told her as she took it.

"Thank you," she smiled up at him. "You are looking very fine yourself."

He escorted her gracefully into the hall where hundreds of people were gathered. Eyra allowed him to lead her up to where Odin, Frigga, and Loki already sat. When the youngest prince of Asgard laid eyes on her, he did not even try to mask his wonderment. Eyra blushed as she saw him, unable to deny that he looked absolutely wonderful. He was dressed in a long tunic which was completely black but for the collar and cuffs, which were gold.

As soon as Thor and Eyra were seated, Odin stood up, and the room quieted. "Our dealings on Vanaheim were a great success," he began. "But it is not only that which we gather here to celebrate today. We are also here to share in the great joy of my son, Thor, and his newly betrothed, the Lady Astrid, only daughter of Lord Inghard. We wish them all the best."

Eyra felt herself flush as all eyes turned to her. She tuned out of the remainder of the Allfather's speech and was startled when Thor was suddenly asking her to dance. She, of course, agreed, and soon found herself being swept about the dance floor. She had danced with Thor, Asmund, and each of the Warriors Three when the familiar face of Loki appeared before her.

"Would you care to dance?" He asked her uncertainly. Against her better judgment, Eyra gave him a shy smile and accepted the hand he was offering her. There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence before Loki cleared his throat nervously. "You look...absolutely ravishing, Eyra."

She blushed. "Thank you. It was Sif who helped me to decide what to wear."

"Well, Sif has better taste than I thought," he shot her a hesitant grin.

Eyra laughed in spite of herself, quickly settling into the natural ease with which the two of them had always conversed. "You do Sif an injustice. Look! We match!" She smiled, gesturing toward his collar and cuffs.

"Yes, well, how was I to know you were going to wear gold? Actually, I had rather hoped that you would show up in my colors. Green would suit you," Loki winked. "In fact...ah yes, perfect. You look like a rose!" Eyra looked down with a start to see that her dress had, indeed, turned green. She whipped her head around to see if anyone else had noticed, but Loki gave a gentle laugh. "Don't worry, it's only an illusion. You and I are the only ones who can see it."

She looked up into his eyes and felt a small marble of panic form in the pit of her stomach. None of this was conducive to her plans to get over him. "Loki..." she started, but he cut her off.

"You know," he murmured. "This is how I see you much of the time. You are a goddess. I am sure the midgardians would see you that way, at least. I know I do..."

That was too much for Eyra, and, with tears blurring her vision, she stepped away from him abruptly. "Loki..." He stared at her in confusion. "I'm sorry...I just...I can't do this." And with that, she turned and hurriedly wove through the other pairs on the floor and darted through the door.

"Eyra, wait!" Loki shouted after her. Luckily, most everyone else was either too distracted or too drunk to notice the drama that had unfolded. Loki sprinted out the door and down the hall after Eyra to find her standing alone in a corridor, tears streaming down her face. "Eyra..." he repeated, coming to stand next to her. His voice was pleading. "Please...tell me what's happened to us..."

Eyra looked up at him with pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry..." she choked. "I can't...please leave me alone..."

At that, Loki felt his frustration with the situation boil over. "Why?" He snapped. "Do I not have a right to know why you all of the sudden refused to have a thing to do with me?"

"You wouldn't understand," she defended herself, voice harsh in response to his own tone.

"Then make me understand!" He threw his hand into the air.

"There is no way for me to do that!"

Loki swore to himself. "Well, I would surely understand better than I do at this point, at least! Because for the past two and a half weeks, I have wracked my brains trying to figure out what it was that I did to turn you from me so, and I am as bewildered as I was in the beginning!"

"Do you really want to know?" Eyra's voice was raw with emotion. "Really?"

"That's what I've been telling you!"

"I'm supposed to be falling in love with your brother!" There was a stunned silence before Eyra took a deep breath and continued. "I am to be married to your brother, yet with every moment I spend in your presence, I find myself falling deeper and deeper in love with you! I'm in love with you, Loki Odinson, and it is the best and the worst thing that has ever happened to me." A small sob escaped her throat. "I just don't know what to do."

Loki said nothing in response to this unexpected declaration, and Eyra refused to meet his gaze in fear of what reaction she would see there. Then, she suddenly felt his hands grab her face, and his lips crashed against her own.

Flying. That was the only way she could think to describe what she was feeling as her hands flew up to grip the front of his tunic tightly. Her knees had gone weak, and she was certain she would have collapsed had it not been for his hands pulling her flush against him by the waist. Their lips moved together in a frenzy, desperately pouring every ounce of emotion they'd built up into this one kiss. Eyra let out a small gasp as her back suddenly hit the wall, and Loki's hands traveled up and down her sides, her arms, her neck. Her fingers had somehow found their way to his soft, black hair and tangled themselves in it, pulling him, if at all possible, even closer to her. A low chuckle rumbled from Loki's chest as he moved his lips along her jaw and to her neck, nipping and sucking almost frantically and making Eyra moan his name loudly as she tilted her head in order to afford him better access. The waves of pleasure he was sending through her were unlike anything she had ever experienced before. He slowly made his way back to her lips, his kisses becoming longer, slower, and more gentle. Eyra was certain she was going to melt into a puddle at any second.

Loki pulled away all too soon in Eyra's opinion and leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes were nearly black as they searched her face. They gazed at each other, eyes wide, breathing heavy, and hearts pounding, and, in that moment, all thoughts of anything but each other were irrelevant.

"Does that answer your question regarding what kissing feels like?" Loki teased. Eyra laughed breathlessly and, ignoring the fact that she would surely regret this later, pulled his lips back down to hers.

"Show me again."

* * *

**A/N: Well. I'm just gonna leave this here... ;)**

**KyokoHonda49: Wow thank you so much for your incredible feedback! I agree that Loki should definitely be more playful, especially before the events of Thor. He is the god of mischief after all. And a happy Loki is equal to a happy me! ;)**

**Dappledwing: I am so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for all of your support!**

**DeadlyThorn1997: Despair no longer! At least for the moment...muahahaha. ;)**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Thank you so much! I myself am still interested to see where the relationship between Sif and Eyra goes lol**

**anon: Thank you so much! I hope that the events of this chapter fall under your category of 'alone time.' **

**TheBattyWhiteCrow: Oh my gosh, you are just like me when I am reading a story that I like! I reread the cute fluffiness over and over again! Haha the feels! And yes, it kills me to see Loki heartbroken. I just love him so much! Thank you a ton for your support!**


	11. Chapter 11

"Did you enjoy yourself last night?" Sif and Eyra had just finished their sparring session the morning after the ball and were walking back into the palace. Eyra felt her face burn at Sif's question, though she knew that the warrior had no clue just how splendid of a time she'd had.

"It was fun," she responded casually. "I hadn't ever been to one before, and I had a lovely time. I have always loved dancing."

Sif smiled at her. "I looked for you toward the end, but I suppose you were busy because I couldn't find you anywhere!"

"Oh, really? I wonder why that would be..." Eyra laughed nervously. She was rescued from that dangerous topic of conversation, however, as Asmund and Brynjar suddenly made an appearance.

"Lady Sif," Asmund inclined his head toward her. "Would you allow us to steal our sister from you for a few moments?"

Sif readily agreed and bid Eyra farewell. Eyra's brothers fell into step on either side of her. "So..." Brynjar began with a smirk.

"What was it that you told us a couple of days ago?" Asmund mused. "'Prince Loki is my friend. I didn't want to listen to Inghard insult my friend.'" Eyra felt her stomach drop.

"I admit, I have had my suspicions since that conversation, but since those suspicions have now been confirmed..."

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about," Eyra cut Bryn off stiffly.

Asmund rolled his eyes. "Well, when you and Prince Loki disappeared together, we grew...concerned. Especially when you did not return for quite some time."

"So, we thought we had better go after you. Make sure he wasn't brutally murdering you for some reason or another," Brynjar continued. "So, imagine our shock at the sight we did run into!"

"Our little sister locked in quite the passionate embrace with the brother of the man to whom she is betrothed!" Asmund sounded stern. Eyra's breathing grew rapid as she struggled to think of some sort of explanation for her actions.

"Of course, we thought we'd better not interrupt you-"

"Bryn thought we'd better not interrupt you," Asmund corrected his brother.

"That would have made for quite the awkward encounter indeed!" Brynjar's voice was cheerful, almost pleased, and Eyra realized he, at least, was not upset with her. "So, care to offer some sort of explanation, Eyra-Bear?"

"I..." Eyra looked between her brothers with wide eyes, then sighed, realizing she was caught and there was nothing for it now but to be honest. "I love him," she said simply. "I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. I met him once, years ago, in the woods the night before we moved here with Inghard. I haven't really stopped thinking about him since, though I had no idea who he was until I moved to the palace. He kept me company in Thor's absence."

"Eyra..." Asmund was shaking his head.

"He's wonderful!" She suddenly felt desperate to make them understand. "If you only knew him...he's kind and playful and thoughtful and fun and brilliant and-"

"Eyra!" Asmund spoke more firmly this time. "I understand. I really do. But you really need to think about the consequences of this!"

"You think I haven't?!" Eyra's voice sounded harsher than she intended. "I know it's wrong, and I've tried to stay away! Last night is the first time I've really spoken to him in weeks because what you happened upon is exactly what I've been trying to avoid! But I've been miserable, Az! And there is something that just draws me to him!"

"Eyra, I know! Believe me, I know! You know I want you to be happy! But if this is discovered...I mean it would be one thing if we weren't dealing with the princes of Asgard here, but under these circumstances..."

A single tear fell from her eye. "I know, Az," she whispered. "And I'm terrified...I don't know what the right thing to do is..."

Bryn wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders. "You remember what I told you, Eyra-Bear?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "To follow my heart and remember that I'm loved." He nodded.

"I stand by that." He looked over at Asmund. "I trust her to make the right decision in the end. Do you?"

Asmund sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes, I do. I'm sorry, Munchkin. You know I want what's best for you. I just worry about your safety, and I keep forgetting that you aren't a little girl anymore."

Eyra hugged her oldest brother tightly, and he planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "I'm going to miss you both so much," she said sadly. "Are you leaving today?"

"Actually, no!" Eyra perked up at Bryn's words. "Mother and Inghard are, but Az and I have been invited to stay. We'll be here for a few more days."

"Really?" Eyra was surprised. "Invited by whom?"

"Queen Frigga. She said that your demeanor has been lighter since we have been here and that she 'hopes we will be able to aid in steering you toward happiness,'" Asmund explained.

Eyra's brow furrowed. "Were those her exact words?" When her brothers nodded, she couldn't help but shake her head in wonderment at the queen's perceptiveness. She knew that her wording had been carefully selected to seem innocent enough, but it was clear that there was an underlying message there.

Asmund and Brynjar dropped Eyra off at her chambers, and she quickly washed of the sweat and grime which had accumulated on her body during her training with Sif. She changed into a light gown and made her way down to the gardens, finding herself in the same secluded area in which she and Loki had spent so much time before. As she stood and smelled a beautiful rose, a pair of arms snaked around her waist from behind.

"I thought I might find you here." Loki gently pressed his lips to the spot just beneath her ear. Eyra shivered and relaxed into his hold.

"I had rather hoped that you would," she sighed, closing her eyes contentedly. She could feel him smile against her neck as he slowly backed them up to a bench and pulled her into his lap. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Eyra's anxiety got the better of her once more. "Loki," she began, straightening and turning so she could look him in the eye. "Are...are we doing the right thing here?"

Loki's face quickly contorted into an expression of worry. "What do you mean? You're not going to go back to...how you were..."

"I don't want to!" Eyra shook her head. "That's the last thing I want! But, all the same, how is this ever going to work out? I am betrothed to your brother..." Asmund's warning from earlier echoed in her mind.

"We'll figure something out," Loki told her desperately. "I don't know what, but something."

"I want believe you, I really do," Eyra told him with tears in her eyes. "If I could just stay right here in this garden with you for the rest of my life, I would do it in a heartbeat! You make me so happy, but..."

Loki swallowed hard and looked at her with pain in his eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "But I can't keep doing this. I would do whatever it took to be with you if that's what you decided that you wanted, but...until you do figure out what you want...I can't keep doing this to myself." He gently slid her off of his lap and stood to leave.

"Loki, wait..." Eyra tried to call him back to explain, but he was already gone.

* * *

That afternoon, Eyra sat on her bed, mind whirling. If only she could come up with some kind of solution that would assure her that everything would work out for the best...but thus far nothing had come to her mind. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," she called wearily. To her great astonishment, Queen Frigga opened the door. Eyra quickly stood and gave a low curtsy. "Your Highness! What is it that I can do for you?"

Frigga smiled. "It has simply been a long time since we've had a good chat. Is this a bad time?"

"Oh, no of course not! Here, just let me..." Eyra hurriedly pulled a couple of chairs together and invited the queen to sit with her. They sat quietly for a moment before Frigga began to speak.

"I have in mind a story. Would you care to hear it?" Eyra nodded warily, and the queen gave her a mysterious smile. "It is a midgardian tale, one from their religious books. It is called the Parable of the Pearl. The story tells us of a merchant who has made many great investments and made himself very wealthy. One day, he comes across a beautiful pearl, or, as the midgardians often tell it, a pearl of great price. It is, in his mind, the most precious item he has ever had the opportunity to procure, but, in order to do so, he must sell everything he has. There is no guarantee what the consequences of that course of action may be, but the merchant desires this pearl above anything else in the world. In the end, he does end up selling his possessions for this one great investment."

Eyra's brow furrowed. "But...does it end up bringing him joy?"

"The tale does not say, but Eyra," Frigga reached out to grab the girl's hands and looked into her confused eyes very seriously. "I think you need to invest in a pearl."

* * *

**A/N: I don't care what your religious beliefs are, I think that is a great story! It just applies to so many things! Oh, and have I mentioned how much I ADORE Frigga? :)**

**TheBattyWhiteCrow: This was a fantastic review! Thank you so much for the depth of your response! It makes me so happy that you truly appreciate the route I am trying to take with this story! And, I am with you, sister. (Brother? I'm assuming you are a sister haha) Always pick passion! In fact in my opinion, always pick Loki! It's a no-brainer! ;)**

**chyanne200: You eat that Easter candy! What a fabulous way to celebrate! I may have just followed your example on that... :)**

**Dappledwing: Sick of you? NEVER! ;) I am glad you thought it was cute! I'm trying to balance the cuteness and the drama here, and it is no easy task, I'm afraid lol**

**sayrahsunshine: Ummmm SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! is most definitely an acceptable response. At least it had better be because it is my response to a great many things. I am so happy that you are happy! ;)**

**anon: Oh good, I'm glad that it counts lol! Haha you are very welcome, and thank you so much for all your reviews! It makes my heart happy to know that you are enjoying it, and thank you so much for your compliments on my writing! You are wonderful!**


	12. Chapter 12

Eyra bolted down the hallways of the palace. Frigga had quickly excused herself with a knowing smile after she had finished her story, and Eyra had immediately gone in search of Loki, feeling the burden of guilt on her shoulders lighten until it almost ceased to exist. She wasn't sure where to find the prince but decided that, even if he were not in his chambers now, he would eventually have to return to them. And so that is where she headed.

"Loki!" She called softly through the door while knocking on it lightly. "Loki, are you in there?" When no response came, she hesitantly tested the doorknob, finding it to be unlocked. With a smile, she slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

It was empty. Eyra stood there for a moment, unconsciously chewing her lower lip and debating what to do. It did not take her long, however, to decide that Loki would not be angry with her if she were to stay for just a few minutes to see if he came back. Shutting the door behind her, she casually strolled through the room and examined the many books and items he had collected over the years. She had never seen his room before, and she had to smile at how utterly perfect it was for him.

On the opposite side from which she had entered, there was no wall. There was simply a balcony which, she suspected, was lined with a magical barrier to protect the room from the elements. Flowers and other plants lined the railings, offering the perfect habitat for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. An elegant green and gold chaise lounge resided outside along with a small table which was covered with books and scraps of parchment. The view overlooking the realm was breathtaking, and Eyra could just picture Loki sitting there as the sun rose and set, reading and writing down whatever thoughts entered his mind. A small fireplace was surrounded by pieces of furniture which matched the lounge on the balcony. Across the room from that was a nook covered by emerald green silk curtains. Eyra pulled them aside to reveal a bed dressed in sheets and blankets of the same color. The ceiling in this one area of the room was made only of glass, affording the most lovely view of the sky.

Unable to resist, Eyra tentatively crawled onto the bed and laid on her back, gazing up as the clouds moved overhead. The bed was incredibly soft, seeming to embrace her small body, and the sight above her was so peaceful that it wasn't long before she drifted off into a comfortable sleep.

* * *

Loki ran a hand through his hair tiredly as he trudged up to his chambers. He was more frustrated than he would care to admit. The past few weeks had quite exhausted him emotionally, and he had been thrilled to think his problems at an end for the time being. Of course, he should have known that Eyra would second-guess what she was doing; that was exactly like her, especially in this situation. Still, it hurt him that she could not simply be content to be with him for now.

Oh, how he wanted for them to be together. He had suspected that she would fall for Thor quite quickly, given that he was much more what most maidens were interested in. He was strong, boisterous, and, apparently, quite handsome. Of course, Loki had also had several try to catch his eye, but it was clear the only things attracting them to him were his status and wealth. And so, though he had found himself falling quite hard for his brother's betrothed, he had resigned himself to the fact that they would always simply be good friends. After all, who would choose him over the heir to Asgard's throne?

Then, she had suddenly turned from him. He had been more bewildered than he had in his life. But, when she had confessed her reasons for doing so, his heart had soared. Kissing her had felt like a dream. Better than a dream, even. Though she was obviously quite inexperienced, the passion that he felt had made up for any skill she lacked. That night he had slept better than he could remember ever having done. For the first time in years, he felt truly happy. Until, of course, she had changed her mind once again.

And so, the youngest of Odin's sons fought continue what he had always done best: to maintain a mask of cool indifference. The only one who could see through it was his mother, but he had given up trying to hide anything from her long ago. He knew she cared for him and would only meddle when she felt she could help to bring to pass his happiness, so he didn't mind her ability to read him so well.

With a sigh, Loki entered his chambers and walked straight to his bed. When he drew open the curtains, however, he was startled to find it already occupied, and by the object of his musings mere moments ago no less. Eyra's delicate form lay curled up in the middle of his bed, hand tucked under one cheek and crimson hair splayed across a pillow. A tender smile graced Loki's lips as he gazed at her, beautiful and at peace in her dreams.

"Eyra," he spoke softly, crawling toward her and shaking her arm gently. "Eyra..."

She shifted slightly and let out an innocent moan that nonetheless sent Loki's heart racing. Her eyes opened just a crack, and her lips curved upward at the sight of him. "Loki?" She blinked blearily and stretched her limbs. "What are...what are you doing here?"

Loki laughed softly at her confused state. "In my bed? Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing."

Suddenly, Eyra sat bolt upright, remembering exactly how and why she had come to be there. "Oh, Loki," she breathed and threw her arms around his neck, her lips finding his immediately. He let out a small noise of surprise, but soon regained his senses and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her into his lap. She slowly pulled away after a moment, but buried her face in his neck and held him close.

"Am I to gather that you have come to a decision?" Loki asked, heart pounding.

Eyra gazed into his eyes and gave him a nervous, but determined smile. "We'll figure something out," she repeated his words from that morning. "I don't know what, but something."

The radiant look on Loki's face could have acted as a beacon for all the nine realms.

* * *

Despite the fact that they knew they would be looked for, Loki and Eyra elected to remain in Loki's chambers for the rest of the day. It had been weeks since they had truly gotten to talk, and neither of them particularly wanted to have to pretend to be indifferent toward the other just yet. And so they sat out on the balcony, snuggled together on the lounge, and watched as the sun set and the stars appeared overhead. Eyra was curled up against his side with her head resting on his chest while his arms were wrapped loosely around her, and his fingers danced across her side and back, tracing patterns over the gown she was wearing.

"I heard your brothers are staying for a few days longer," Loki remarked. Eyra broke into a bright smile.

"Yes! It was your mother who invited them. I am incredibly happy about it."

He entwined their fingers together gently. "I am too. Their presence over the past couple of days has been good for you."

"Oh really?" Eyra looked up at him with a tinkling laugh. "How would you know?"

"Just because you weren't speaking to me doesn't mean I don't know you well enough to know how you are feeling," he teased, kissing her nose lightly and adoring the way it crinkled ever so slightly in response. Then he spoke more seriously. "The color has been returning to your cheeks, and you have smiled more than I have seen you do in nearly a month. I've been worried for you, Darling."

Eyra hummed contentedly and played absently with the fabric of his shirt. "I've missed having you call me that."

"Well, good because I intend to do it quite often," he chuckled. They sat in silence for a few moments after that, gazing up at the stars before Eyra spoke again.

"Have you ever been to Midgard?"

Loki nodded. "Long ago, though I daresay their society has evolved greatly since I last visited. Why do you ask?"

"I've always found it fascinating. They live such short lives, and yet it seems to me that their lives are still much fuller than that of an aesir. I would love to visit there one day."

"Then you shall!" Loki promised. "Have you read all those books I sent you?"

Eyra smiled. "Yes, and they definitely served to heighten my interest in Midgardian culture. I need to pick up a few more books from there. I just finished the last batch."

"What do you think of Shakepeare?" Loki asked.

"Oh, he's wonderful!" Eyra expressed. "I had never read any of his works until you sent them to me, and his writings are beautiful!"

Loki beamed. "I agree! Many here think the midgardians beneath us in every way, but I truly believe we do not give them enough credit. One day, when all of this has blown over, I will take you there with me," he vowed.

Eyra smiled widely and sat up, pressing her lips to his briefly. "That would be incredible. There is so much I would love to do there!" She then sighed as she realized how late it was getting. "I wish I could stay here with you forever, but I fear it may not look good if I do not return to my own chambers tonight."

He groaned and pulled her against his chest, pouting playfully. "Must you go?"

"I'm afraid so," Eyra sighed regretfully. "But we shall find some time together on the morrow. Will that be acceptable?"

Loki sighed and released her, standing up himself and walking her to the door. "I suppose it will suffice," he smiled at her affectionately and gave her a chaste kiss. "Until tomorrow then, my darling Juliet."

She bit her lip shyly and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his one more time before exiting the room, careful to avoid being seen by anyone. Loki watched her until she was completely out of sight, and as she hurried back to her own chambers, she hummed cheerfully, a wider smile gracing her face than had in nigh a decade.

* * *

**A/N: There, a bit of a fluffy chapter to make up for recent drama. :) Also I wrote this while listening to Tom Hiddleston reading poetry, and it is great for inspiration! Just his voice, oh my gosh. It's like a river of chocolate! *Shivers* Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 12! I can't believe we are already this far in! Woohoo!**

**chyanne200: I agree! As the oldest in my family, I have always wished I had an older brother, and I can never help but give at least one to my heroine. :) **

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Oh my gosh I love it! Team EyKi is a thing, and Frigga is the leader! Haha your reviews always make me smile, so thank you so much!**

**Dappledwing: Well, you inspired me, in case you didn't notice! I knew I wanted to have Shakespeare in here somewhere, especially since my pre-Thor Loki is loosely based off of Hiddles, but you gave me the perfect way to do it, so thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**Okumura Ichigo: I got this review like two seconds before I was about to post this chapter! That was close! ;) I am so glad that you are enjoying it! I agree, I love Loki and Eyra, but I may be just a tad biased. I think you may be rather surprised at what I have in store for them, but I guess we will see! Haha thank you so much for your review! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

"Astrid," Thor cleared his throat the a few days later at breakfast. Eyra jumped and whipped her head to give him her full attention. She had been focused on trying to pick up even the smallest bite, but each time she did, the food on her plate seemed to rearrange itself as though it had only been an illusion. Loki was keeping his face carefully stoic from across the table, but Eyra could see the mischief dancing in his eyes.

"Yes, Thor?" She responded politely, shooting Loki a subtle warning glance.

"I have hardly seen you at all the past couple of days. Where have you been?" Eyra's mouth hung open as she struggled to come up with some sort of excuse for her absence. Luckily, Frigga came to her rescue.

"She has been with me much of the time, Thor. I do apologize for stealing your betrothed from you so frequently, but I find myself rather enchanted by my future daughter-in-law." She gave Eyra a kind smile.

"Asmund and I are to blame as well, Your Highness," Brynjar spoke up from Eyra's right. "We know we have to leave in a few days, so I fear we may have become a bit selfish with our sister's time."

Odin gave a hearty laugh. "It seems nearly everyone at this table is fighting for time with Lady Astrid, not to mention your friends, Thor. Next it will be Loki trying to get his fair share as well."

Eyra choked slightly, but Loki played it cool, smirking around the table. "It wouldn't be much of a fight then, I suspect." He jutted his chin cockily. "After all, it is well known that I am the best looking and most charming of the sons of Odin." Everyone erupted in laughter except Eyra, who only shook her head at him with a smile.

"Well, Eyra sure thinks so," Bryn muttered next to her. She elbowed him discreetly in the ribs, and he gave her an innocent grin.

Thor slid an arm around Eyra's shoulders, a sight from which Loki carefully averted his eyes, becoming suddenly very interested in a piece of bacon on his plate. Eyra managed to make her grimace look like a smile as Thor pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I understand that you would like to spend time with your brothers, Astrid, and it pleases me greatly that you and Mother are getting along so well. We have forever to do things together, so forgive me for even suggesting that you put me first during this time."

Eyra gave him an understanding smile and turned back to her food which, she noticed, no longer seemed to move about her plate.

* * *

Eyra walked about the palace in search of Loki. She had spent the morning with her brothers, as had become the routine, but her Romeo was not in any of the usual places she could find him. She had searched the library, the gardens, and his chambers, and she was growing slightly worried.

Then, she spotted a figure sitting with his back to her in one of the courtyards. With a relieved smile, she crept up silently and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her lips to his cheek. "Afternoon, my lord." She slid around the bench and seated herself next to him with a grin, feeling him immediately form an illusion for anyone else who happened to walk by.

"Hello, Eyra." His own smile did not reach his eyes, and Eyra frowned at his neglect to use any of his pet names for her.

"What's wrong?" She questioned in concern, placing her hand on his arm.

He shook his head. "It is nothing of import."

"Well, if it is bothering you, then it is important to me!" Eyra insisted. Loki sighed and said nothing for a moment, but when he did speak, his voice was laced with bitterness.

"As important as Thor?" Eyra's brow furrowed in confusion.

"As...I'm sorry, what?" When Loki said nothing, but his jaw clenched slightly, understanding dawned on her face. "Hang on...are you...jealous?" Still, no response. Eyra couldn't help but give a short burst of laughter. "Why are you jealous? I spend every possible second with you!"

"But you are engaged to him," Loki reminded her. "And the two of you seemed quite cozy at breakfast this morning..."

Eyra closed her eyes and sighed. "Loki..." He looked determinedly away from her. "Loki, look at me." Still, he refused. With a frown, she reached a hand up to his cheek, drawing his gaze toward her. "I would never do this with Thor," she smiled at him, speaking softly. "Or this," she reached up with her other hand to run her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes, a relaxed smile forming on his face. "Nor would I ever do this," she slowly climbed onto his lap, running her hands lightly over his chest. "He never gets to touch me like this," she pulled at his hands and placed them on her waist. "I would certainly never do this," she pressed her lips to his gently, pulling away after a moment and feeling relieved to see the tender smile on his face as he looked at her. "I know things don't look promising right now," she confessed. "But I promised you that we would figure something out, and I meant it. I am not going to marry your brother. I will make certain of it."

Loki drew her close to him and buried his face in her neck. "I believe you." His voice was muffled by her hair. "I do. Forgive me, Darling."

Eyra smiled and closed her eyes, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "There is nothing to forgive. Valhalla knows I've caused you plenty of grief over this issue." Loki chuckled and pulled back slightly, gazing at her with a kind of love and adoration that made her stomach do flips and cartwheels.

"I love you," he murmured, pulling her in for another long, slow kiss. Eyra giggled against his lips and deepened it eagerly, when suddenly Thor's loud voice met their ears.

"Loki!"

The lovers jumped apart, and Eyra was suddenly very grateful for Loki's skill in illusion. She slid off of his lap and whispered, "It's time for me to meet your mother for tea anyway. I'll find you later, yes?"

Loki nodded and pecked her lips one last time before she left. He watched her leave and did not let his illusion drop until she was out of sight. It took Thor only a few seconds to find him after that.

"Brother!" He hailed, coming to sit next to him. "I have a matter of...Loki?" Loki looked at him questioningly as he stared at him. Then, a wide smile spread across his brother's face. "I have had my suspicions brother, and I do believe I have been correct."

"What are you talking about Thor?" Loki asked him wearily.

"You have been quite cheerful of late, and nearly impossible to find. Now, I finally do find you, and your face is flushed, your hair mussed and your lips slightly swollen. You have found yourself a maiden!" Thor concluded delightedly.

Loki stiffened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh don't play that game with me Loki, I know you better than that!" Thor laughed. "Now, come. What is her name?"

Loki was silent for a moment before answering truthfully. "Eyra. Her name is Eyra." Thor's brow furrowed.

"That name does not sound familiar to me. It sounds like a peasant's name. Where did you meet this Eyra?"

"I went walking in the woods and happened upon her," Loki laughed at the memory. "She was singing and dancing, and I managed to startle her into falling into a river."

Thor chuckled. "I must meet this maiden! What does she look like?" Loki cleared his throat.

"I think that is enough questioning for now! You came here to speak to me of something. What is it?"

Thor frowned at him, but sighed. "It is Astrid." Loki perked up. "She is to be my wife, and I do care for her! I do! But...not in the way that I should as her betrothed. I have scarcely seen her over the past several days, and yet I do not miss her! It does not bother me that she would prefer to spend her time in the company of Mother and her brothers."

"Have you spoken to Father of this?" Loki inquired hopefully.

"I have," Thor frowned. "He told me that his deal with Lord Inghard cannot be broken. I do not know why. After all, he is the Allfather. But he seemed incredibly certain that the consequences would be severe."

Loki felt his heart sink. "Perhaps there is a way that no one has thought of yet..."

"I surely hope you are right, Brother. I do not think she loves me either. In fact, I fear that her heart may belong to another. Perhaps someone from before she came here."

Loki hid a smile and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "I believe these things shall work out in the end. In the meantime, I will spare no effort to think of a solution to this dilemma."

Thor beamed at his brother. "Thank you, Loki. You have always been one on whom I can rely in everything."

Loki merely smiled.

* * *

Eyra and Frigga sat in the gardens, laughing gaily. Eyra had become quite at ease with the queen since they had started having tea regularly. As they were finishing up, however, Loki wandered into the garden and inclined his head toward the two most important women in his life. Eyra suddenly gasped, a wide smile breaking over her face.

"Queen Frigga, I have been meaning to ask you something!"

"Yes, what is it, child?" Frigga smiled.

Eyra shot a devilish look at Loki, who was walking about pretending not to be listening. But she knew better. "A few weeks ago, Prince Loki seemed...concerned that you may have told me a certain story." Loki's back stiffened, and Eyra stifled a giggle. "I believe he called it, 'the tree-climbing incident?'"

Frigga let out a musical laugh. "Ah, yes. The tree-climbing incident." Loki glared at her. "That is a wonderful story! You see, when Loki and Thor were children, they liked to visit a certain river and go swimming. They would go there often, and Thor soon started bringing his friends, Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg. Of course Lady Sif could not come since their antics required the removal of every scrap of clothing they wore." Eyra was grinning, and Loki's frown was deepening with each word that came out of his mother's mouth. "On one particular instance, Fandral got the idea in his head that it would be great fun to steal Loki's clothes and run off with them. Thor and the others agreed readily, and they tricked their youngest companion into trying to hold his breath under water for as long as he could. When he resurfaced, however, he found that his friends, along with each of his garments, had disappeared!" Eyra tittered in amusement, and Loki's face quite closely resembled the color of Eyra's hair. "Feeling quite annoyed with them, he marched right out of the river and in the direction of the palace. Unfortunately, Volstagg had thought up an even more delightful spin for their scheme. You see, they had told Sif that they had lost little Loki and sent her out looking for him!" Eyra guffawed, and Loki shot her a glare. "As Loki trudged back home, he heard Sif's voice calling his name and getting closer rather quickly. Now, he could not have her see him in his current state, so he panicked and did what he thought he had to do! He climbed the nearest tree!"

"Mother, please," Loki begged, embarrassment written clearly across his face as Eyra laughed loudly at the mental image. Frigga shot him a fond smile, but continued despite his pleas.

"Now, when Sif was out of sight, Loki, congratulating himself on his cleverness in evading her, attempted to climb down from the tree. Unfortunately, he managed to lose his balance and fall. Luckily, or unluckily I suppose, depending on how you look at it, his ankle got wrapped up in a vine, which caught him, but refused to let go. By this time, it was growing late, and I was growing worried. Thor, too, had become quite concerned and came to me with tears streaming down his face and told me what he and his friends had done. We immediately sent out a search party, which consisted of nearly all the servants in the palace. After a couple of hours of scouring the woods, we heard someone call out that they had found him! Relief washed through all of us, and everyone rushed to the spot from which we had heard the news! Imagine our astonishment when we came across the sight of a buck naked Loki hanging by his ankle from a vine, face red both from all the blood which had rushed to it and from humiliation at half the realm seeing him in the nude!"

Eyra had tears streaming down her face from laughing so hard. Loki's face was very much the same color it had been at that moment all those years ago, and he vowed not to speak to either of them ever again. They simply laughed even harder, and he rolled his eyes at them and stalked away to his chambers.

"Oops," Eyra giggled. "I suppose I had better go break him of that resolve." She quickly excused herself and hurried to follow him. She no longer knocked when she wanted to enter his room, and when she opened the door, she found him sitting grumpily in an armchair in front of the fire. She smiled. "Loki..."

He didn't even acknowledge her presence. With an amused sigh, she walked behind him and began rubbing his shoulders, and, leaning forward, she whispered in his ear, "You can't ignore me forever, you know." The clenching of his fists was the only sign that he'd even heard her. She pressed her lips to his neck and pivoted until she was straddling his lap, placing light kisses along his jaw and throat. His breathing quickened, and Eyra smiled, massaging his chest gently through his shirt. Finally, he let out a groan of defeat and pleasure and grabbed her hips tightly, yanking them toward him with a pleased smile as Eyra gasped.

"Temptress," he growled in her ear before locking his lips onto hers. Eyra let out a breathy laugh before sighing as they both lost themselves in the tender touches of the other.

* * *

**A/N: Well, there you have it folks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you think! **

**Okumura Ichigo: Oh, you have no idea the drama that awaits poor Loki and Eyra. It's going to be fabulous! ;) Anyway, thank you so much for your reviews! **

**chyanna200: Right? Haha I'm so glad that you like his character! What a babe. ;)**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Aha! I understood that reference! And, yes, I do think Eyra has made the right choice here. Well, it seems so for now at least...muahahahaha! ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

Sadly, the day came for Eyra's brothers to return home. It had been lovely for all of them to be together for the week or so that they had been, but Asmund and Brynjar did have their own lives that they needed to get back to. And so, Eyra made her way downstairs dejectedly to see them off.

She was surprised at the sight that greeted her when she walked outside. Both of her brothers were engaged in an intense, hushed conversation with Loki. When they caught sight of her, all three of them gave each other meaningful looks before dispersing. Eyra stared at them questioningly but let the matter drop as Bryn wrapped her up in a huge hug.

"Eyra-Bear," he whispered. "I'm so proud of you. Things are going to work out, okay? Az and I aren't going to be here anymore, but that doesn't mean we won't be doing everything in our power to ensure your happiness."

Eyra stared at him with tear-filled eyes, confused at his cryptic promise. He merely gave her a mysterious smile and moved to the side so that Asmund could have his turn.

"It's been real fun, Munchkin," he smiled as he embraced her. "And I'm sorry I ever tried to change your mind about Loki. He truly is perfect for you, and if you don't end up married to him in the end, my name isn't Asmund Bjorrson."

Eyra hugged him back tightly, her confusion growing even further with his words. He pulled away from her, and he and Brynjar both gave her affectionate smiles before mounting their horses and riding away. Loki approached her and slipped an arm around her waist with a kiss to the side of her head as they watched them disappear. As soon as they were out of sight, Eyra turned to Loki, a bewildered look on her face.

"What were you three talking about?"

He chuckled. "They were simply warning me that if I ever hurt you, I will have them to answer to." Eyra frowned, sensing there was more to it than that.

"But what about their promises as they were saying goodbye? You must know something about that!" Loki shook his head.

"I'm not sure what you mean! Is it abnormal for brothers to want their little sister to be happy?" He gave her an innocent smile.

"Fine." She narrowed her eyes at him before wrapping her arms around his waist, closing her eyes with a weary sigh. "Keep your secrets. I'm too tired for this right now anyway."

He returned her embrace for a moment before speaking with a smile. "Too tired for my surprise?"

Eyra looked up at him curiously. "What surprise?"

"Well I don't know, Darling," he gave an exaggerated sigh. "If you're as tired as you say..."

"I'm not tired anymore," she pouted at him playfully. "Promise!"

He grinned excitedly. "Good! We'll have to share a horse, because, as talented as you are, I don't think you should ride blindfolded."

"Blindfolded!" Eyra stared at him, aghast. He laughed delightedly and pulled out a handkerchief.

"Turn around!" She looked at him suspiciously but did as she was told. He quickly tied the cloth around her eyes and guided her toward his horse, boosting her carefully onto its back before mounting in front of her. "Hold on to me," he instructed with a grin. She hugged his torso tightly, not having one complaint about that opportunity. At Loki's command, the horse took off at a gallop.

Eyra felt exhilarated. She had not had the chance to ride a horse in years, and, even though she was not at the reigns, the feeling of riding again was absolutely wonderful. She shouted in elation, feeling Loki chuckle happily in front of her.

It took them nearly a half hour to reach their destination. Loki hopped off of the horse and lifted Eyra down with him. It was quiet, wherever they were, and her curiosity was growing by the second. Loki carefully led her several more feet, covering her ears now as well, before letting her go and untying the blindfold. Eyra gasped at what she saw, tears springing into her eyes.

They stood in the middle of her clearing. The one which held so many memories of her father and where she and Loki had first met so many years ago. It looked just the same as she remembered it, and she slowly turned to Loki with love and gratitude shining in her eyes. He looked almost nervous.

"Do you like it?" he asked shyly.

In answer, Eyra launched herself into his arms, laughing and crying at the same time. "Oh, Loki," she buried her face in his neck. "This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He simply held her close to him for a moment before setting her down, looking relieved. "I brought us a picnic. Mother is covering for us, though Thor and my father are in a meeting, so it is doubtful that we will be missed. We have all day to do whatever you want."

At those words, Eyra's face broke into an eager grin, and, to Loki's shock, she suddenly stripped down to her undergarments! "Want to see something?" she asked him excitedly.

"I...think I just did!" He continued to gape at her. She only chortled and dashed toward the mountainside, laughing gleefully. Loki stared at her in amazement as she began to scale the rocks, and much more quickly than he would have anticipated. He grew concerned, however, when she stopped, looking around in vain for another handhold. Hurrying toward her, he called, "Please don't fall! I'll come up and get you!"

She looked down at him with an amused smirk on her face. "Oh, calm down! Falling is the point!" And with that, she launched herself off of the rocks, flipping upside down. Loki could only watch with his mouth hanging open as she hurtled downward, finally diving into the water with hardly a splash. He quickly shed his own shirt, jumping in and swimming to where he had seen her disappear. He had scarcely made it to that point, however, when she resurfaced several feet away from him, pushing her hair out of her face and looking more joyful than he had ever seen her.

"Eyra!" He gasped, swimming toward her.

"Oh, how I've missed this place!" She grinned and met him halfway, wrapping her legs around his waist under the water. "Oh my! I do like this!" She ran her hands over his bare chest. Loki suppressed a shiver at her touch and gripped her hips, giving her a stern look.

"Don't scare me like that!" His heart was still racing as he scolded her. "What were you thinking?!"

She pouted at him prettily. "Do you really have so little faith in me?" Loki sighed and kissed her briefly.

"I have faith in you...but please! A little warning would have been marvelous!"

Eyra giggled and brought their lips together once more, mumbling an apology. He groaned at the feeling of her breasts pressing against his chest with only a thin layer of wet fabric between them, but somehow managed to control himself as he kissed her slowly and lovingly.

"Oh, my darling," he murmured against her lips. "You never cease to amaze me."

* * *

Nightfall found Loki and Eyra, now completely dry thanks to Loki's magical abilities, resting comfortably against a large boulder. Their legs were tangled together, and they were speaking softly and painting pictures in the stars above them.

"Can we just stay here forever?" Eyra asked with a content smile. Loki hummed in agreement.

"Someday," he promised. "When we have got this mess sorted out, Thor will be king, and I will no longer be under any obligation to stay at the palace. You and I will build a house here and have plenty of little children who look just like you to run around and enjoy it just as you have. Mother and Thor and your brothers can visit us whenever they like, but no one else will ever bother us. And I will be happiest man to ever live, and I will strive to make you the happiest woman."

"That sounds like a dream," Eyra sighed peacefully. "And you won't have to try very hard, because, at this moment, I don't think there has been a happier girl in all the nine realms."

Loki pressed his lips to the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair. And for that one moment, the two felt that they lived in an absolutely perfect world.

But these happy moments are fleeting, and it would not be long before that perfect world would come crashing in around them.

* * *

**A/N: Things are about to get crazy, kids! It's the calm before the storm! :) Haha please review with any feedback you may have, and thank you to everyone who has shown me so much support so far!**

**Deductions-of-Sherlolly: Hey, me too! I love Thor to pieces, and I could never really bring myself to break his heart haha. Which is weird because I love Loki even more, but don't seem to have any problem causing him pain. Huh. **

** jesse. alderete: Sorry, I think the site thinks I'm trying to post a link, so I had to add a space to your name haha! Thank you so much! It definitely can be a challenge to find a good fic, but I am so glad that you find this one to be worth your time! Thank you for your support!**

**chyanne200: Haha it's true! He's like a giant puppy! I love him tons! Thank you for your support! I really appreciate all of your reviews!**

**TheBattyWhiteCrow: Hahaha I'm so glad that you enjoyed that bit! It just came to me, and I can never resist the chance to shrink Loki's ego a bit. ;)**

**sayrahsunshine: I don't have it all written, but I have most of the chapters outlined, so it's just a matter of creating a story out of them. I'm so glad that you are enjoying it! Thank you for the support! It's what keeps me going!**

**anon: Thank you so much! It makes me really happy that you appreciate Loki's playfulness, because I love that side of him as well! Again, I love your reviews! They really help to keep me motivated, so thank you!**


	15. Chapter 15

Several weeks had passed. Eyra and Loki had continued to see each other secretly, and they were feeling quite pleased with themselves for how well they had done at keeping their relationship hidden. Frigga, Asmund, and Brynjar were still the only ones aware that there was anything going on between the two as far as they knew.

Eyra could scarcely remember being so happy in all her life. When she would lie down to sleep at night, it was impossible for her to keep the silly smile off of her face as she recalled the events of her day. Loki was constantly showering her with sweet little gestures, from giving her flowers to writing her letters or poetry to sneaking into her room while she was bathing at night and tackling her with a fluffy blanket the second she walked out.

She had learned so much more about his past over this time as well. How he had never gotten along well with any of Thor's friends as they thought him strange for his quiet, studious nature. How Odin, along with everyone else but Frigga, had always seemed to favor Thor over him, regardless of what he did to please others. How he had no desire for the throne, despite the fact that almost everyone assumed he was envious of Thor in every aspect. He would tell her these things as they lay out on his balcony, his soothing voice helping to relax her mind despite the sorrow she felt over the pain he had suffered his whole life. He had told her that, whatever hurt he had felt in the past, she was helping to heal him of it. That had made her heart flutter, and she had found herself cuddling even closer to him in response, returning his sentiments.

They had resumed their magic lessons, and Loki was incredibly pleased with how quickly Eyra was learning. Along with that, she had come a very long way in her training with Sif. The two women had formed a close bond, and whatever bitter feelings Sif had harbored toward her for being engaged to Thor had long disappeared.

Thor and Eyra barely saw each other. Eyra, at first, felt guilty about that until she realized that he truly did not mind any more than she did. He had no romantic feelings toward her at all, a thought that made Eyra's conscience much lighter. They were, of course, on good terms with one another, but neither of them were particularly eager to seek the other out, given that the situation they found themselves in was slightly awkward. Eyra had no intention of ever marrying him, and it seemed that he was attempting to think of a way out of the arrangement as well. It had not yet been even close to the standard year most betrothed couples waited before marrying, and Eyra had high hopes that they would be able to come up with a solution by that time.

"Perhaps your father would be more understanding if Thor was to fall in love with someone else," Eyra suggested to Loki one evening. They were lying comfortably on Eyra's bed and indulging themselves in some chocolate truffles that Loki had requested from the kitchens. "Is there anyone you can think of who might fit the bill for that scenario?"

Loki let out a long sigh. "I do think that, if he could have his way, he would marry Sif. However, as I told you when you first arrived at the palace, Thor, as heir to the throne, is under a certain obligation to marry someone more like you. My father would not allow him to break off his engagement to you for many women. And I doubt Thor and my father would see eye-to-eye on what a suitable match would be. My father would want him to wed a girl of incredibly high standing, but, with the exception of you, of course, they are all rather spoiled, stuffy, and selfish. It is a lovely thought, but I simply don't see it working out that way."

Eyra pouted for a second but brightened almost immediately. "Well, we still have nine months to think of something. I just know that there is a solution out there somewhere!" Loki was silent for a moment before speaking tentatively.

"There is one thing..." He glanced down at her briefly. "It isn't ideal, but at least as a backup plan..."

"What is it?" Eyra's brow furrowed curiously.

"We could always run away...at least for a while until things cool down. Perhaps we could go to Midgard! I promised I would take you there one day! We could have ourselves an adventure there and then, when the whole event has blown over, return here to Asgard to be with our families again..."

Eyra bit her lip, not speaking for several long moments. "You're right, it isn't ideal..." she said quietly. "But if that is what it takes to be with you, then I will, of course, follow you there."

Loki tilted her chin up to place a long, tender kiss on her lips. "We will be together, Darling. Whatever it takes," he murmured. "I would die before I let them take you from me."

"Well let's hope it doesn't come to that!" Eyra balked reproachfully. Then she smiled fondly. "I truly am the luckiest girl in all the nine realms. Even if this whole thing was to fall apart, I would consider myself blessed above all simply for having been loved by you."

In response, Loki pressed his lips against hers once more, both of them quickly becoming lost in the kiss and each other. However, mere moments later, a knock sounded at the door. Eyra squeaked and pulled away as Loki immediately cast an illusion to make it appear as though she was alone. She hurried to the door and opened it to see a servant girl standing there.

"Lady Eyra," she said formally. "I have a letter for you from Lord Inghard."

"Oh?" Eyra's eyebrows shot up. He had never written her before. "Thank you." She took the letter and shut the door, opening the envelope as she walked slowly back to her bed. Loki watched in concern as the color suddenly drained from her face and she gripped the bed post to support herself, taking in deep breaths with her head bowed. He gently pulled the letter from her now limp hand, his blood running cold as he read it.

_Dearest Astrid,_

_I regret to be the one to inform you of this, but your mother is simply too distraught to even think of composing a letter. This morning, your eldest brother, Asmund, took ill quite suddenly. Although the healers did everything they could think of to restore his health, it was only a matter of hours before he had passed on._

_The funeral will be held in three days time, though you need not return home as, my position being what it is, it will take place at the palace. I hope you will remember the distinguished role you must play in all of this. I do offer you my deepest condolences at this tragic loss and wish you all the best._

_Sincerely,_

_Your loving father_

When Loki looked up from the letter, Eyra had found her way to the window and was staring out silently, though he doubted she was seeing anything through it. He dropped the letter and immediately made his way to her side. As he gently touched her elbow, she turned to him slowly, face a carefully emotionless mask. However, when her eyes met his, those walls quickly caved in, and she suddenly broke down and collapsed against his chest. He held her tightly as tortured sobs wracked her body, and she clung to him as though letting go would cause her world to crumble even further than it already had.

Loki was shaking as well, both from the pain he felt on Eyra's behalf and the fury he was barely containing. A letter. A short, unfeeling letter from the only person in the world she could ever feel any real anger toward. That was how she had to learn of her beloved brother's death. The hate he had already felt for Inghard intensified greatly, making his head pound and his jaw clench. As Eyra continued to let out anguished cry after anguished cry, he let slip several tears of his own, heart aching for the woman who held it. It was not until later that night, as she lay in a troubled slumber in his arms, that the thought would occur to him. His pulse quickened as suspicion and doubt worked its way into his mind.

After all, what kind of illness sets in and kills in a matter of hours?

* * *

**A/N: So, I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a couple of days! This weekend has just been so hectic, I've barely had time to sit down at a computer! And this chapter is pretty short, but...oh well. Anyway, things are about to get serious! I would love to hear some of your theories on what happened to poor Asmund. I'm kind of hating myself here, but this was, unfortunately, necessary. :'(  
**

**_Okumura Ichigo_: There is definitely going to be a lot of drama when people do learn about their relationship! The consequences may be quite severe. I'm so glad that you are enjoying this story! I know I am enjoying writing it! Thank you so much for your reviews! :)**

**_LilweenGalatrass_: I'm so glad that you like it! I do hate reading about my favorite characters suffering, but hopefully everything works out in the end! Do prepare yourself for quite a bit of heartache though. ;)**

**_chyanne200_: DUS (Dramatic Update Senses) are accurate! Gosh, I'm with you, I definitely love cute fluffiness, but angst is most definitely necessary as well! ;)**

**_Deductions-of-Sherlolly_: Doesn't that scenario just sound lovely? They would be so happy together! Though it's not looking like much of a possibility at this point... :(**

**_dukechick79_: Okay this was kind of ironic that you reviewed about how quickly I update, and then I left you hanging for a few days...I hope you still had an idea of what was going on! Sorry about that! Anyway, I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying it! Thank you for your support!**

**_Jenni Drocks_: That is such a great thing to hear! Thank you so much! I hope that I can continue to make the story and characters realistic. :) Thank you for your review! It was incredibly motivating!**


	16. Chapter 16

Over the course of the next few days, even Loki scarcely saw Eyra. She had barricaded herself in her chambers and would not open the door for anyone. Unless one were to catch a glimpse of the scene inside, however, they could not presume to have the faintest idea the state she was in.

The first day, she had been completely numb. During that time, Loki had been able to sneak into the room and coax her into eating a few bites and had read and sung to her in an attempt to distract her from her grief. It had helped for the moment, but by the next day he had been locked out as well. She couldn't bear to have anyone see her as she was. She merely paced her room day in and day out, unable to eat or sleep or even stop the constant tremors which shook her body. Every once in a while, she would collapse onto the floor, losing all ability to hold back her lamentations any longer. She would rock back and forth, clutching at her hair, gasping for breath, and heaving until her head pounded and her stomach threatened to release what little contents it had. It wasn't until the day of the funeral that she forced herself to wash up, get dressed, and face the outside world.

Loki had been beside himself with worry since he'd last seen her but, sensing that she needed space for the time being, had continually reminded himself that she would come to him when she was ready. Nothing could have prepared him for the condition in which he next saw her however. He had been making his way down to the funeral when he had heard her faint voice call out his name. His heart giving a hopeful leap, he turned around to see Eyra slowly making her way toward him. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her.

She was white as a sheet, her eyes and cheeks were sunken in, and it was clear that she had lost at least a good five pounds over the past three days. The sparkle of mischief and cheer that normally resided in her eyes had been replaced by a dull, dead look, and they didn't seem to be seeing much of anything. Loki could tell by the way she was walking that she was incredibly weak, and when she tried to force a weak smile for him, it turned out to be a pained grimace. When she came to stand in front of him, he could see that her gown was too large for her now, hanging off of er shoulders and exposing her collarbones, which protruded much more than they had before. Loki's heart ached as he took all of this in.

"Oh, Eyra..." he murmured, stepping forward to pull her into his arms. She backed away, however, shaking her head quickly.

"Please don't." Her voice was rough and trembled ever so slightly as she spoke. At the hurt look on Loki's face, she hastened to explain herself. "I don't think I can handle it right now. I just know that I'll..." she trailed off and bit her lip, looking away from him.

"Break down," Loki finished softly.

Eyra nodded. "Perhaps...perhaps if you were to come see me tonight..." she whispered uncertainly. "If...if you wanted to..."

"Of course," he agreed immediately. "You need only ask, my darling. You know that."

The corners of her lips turned upward, though it was almost imperceptible. "I do. Thank you."

Each sensed at that point that not another word needed to be spoken. Loki simply offered his arm to her to escort her to the funeral. She accepted it readily, neither of them caring at that point if a few eyebrows were raised. About halfway there, however, they were met by Brynjar, who had come to walk his sister down himself. Loki quietly slipped away as the two siblings embraced and cried together over their shared loss.

Later that afternoon, Eyra and Bryn walked slowly through the gardens, arm in arm. They were silent for several minutes as they each tried to allow the events of the past few days to sink in. Brynjar did, however, soon lead her to sit next to him on a bench, where he spoke with an urgency that made Eyra's pulse quicken with anxiety.

"Eyra." He held her hands in his and looked into her eyes seriously. "I have debated much over whether or not to tell you these things, but I have come to the conclusion that I must do so in order to keep you safe."

Eyra's brow furrowed, and she looked at him fearfully. "Whatever do you mean?"

Bryn took a deep breath. "When Az and I left here a few weeks ago, we both promised you that we were going to work as hard as we could figure something out so that you could break off your betrothal to Prince Thor. Do you remember this?"

"Well, yes, of course," Eyra affirmed, her confusion growing further with each word he spoke. "I've wondered for weeks what you possibly could have..."

"Just know that we meant it," Bryn cut her off. "We had resolved to try to convince Inghard that you were not happy in your current position and to ask him if there was anything he could possibly do to alter the arrangement with the Allfather. Although none of us have ever been particularly fond of Inghard, he has never given us any evidence to the idea of his being unreasonable. So, for weeks, we read up on everything we could find on the tradition of royal arranged marriages, writing down anything we found that could even possibly be beneficial when we did confront him about it. Az, especially, was determined to make this work out for you, no matter what he had to do." Suddenly, Bryn let out a chuckle. "He said to me one day, 'Bryn, I'll marry that blasted prince myself if it means that Eyra doesn't have to. Do you think they'll have me instead?' I laughed and told him that it was doubtful, and he grumbled and went right back to the record he was reading."

Eyra giggled in spite of herself. "That does sound just like him." Tears filled her eyes once more as she remembered with fondness how tenacious Asmund could be.

"Anyway, one night, when we were just starting to feel that we had enough of a case to bring to Inghard, Az came into my room in a sort of panic. He was spewing all sorts of rubbish, not making a whole lot of sense. No matter how many times I told him to calm down and tell me what was going on, he couldn't seem to compose himself. All I could catch before he left was that he had discovered something he wasn't supposed to. Something bad. He kept mentioning you and your engagement and your relationship with Loki and saying that we had to do something. I told him that I knew we did and reminded him that that's exactly what we had been trying to achieve for weeks. I think he eventually grew frustrated that I wasn't understanding because he left even more agitated than when he'd arrived." The pain was evident in Bryn's voice as he recalled this moment with his brother. "I should have gone after him. I should have just trusted that he knew what he was doing. But instead I just shook my head and decided to figure it out in the morning when he had hopefully cleared his head a bit. It's the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life."

Eyra swallowed hard, her breathing becoming ragged as she began to fit the pieces together. "You mean...that was..." Bryn nodded, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. He was shaking, and his voice was thick with emotion as the weight of his guilt came crashing down on him.

"I woke up early the next morning to Mother crying and telling me that Asmund was ill and that it wasn't looking good. It was nearly too late by the time I got there. He looked awful, Eyra. I've never seen a man look so sick. He was delirious too, but..." He paused, taking a deep breath.

"But?" Eyra had tears streaming down her face.

"I believe a part of him was still there...he...the last words he spoke...were, 'Eyra. You have to warn her.' Then he was just sort of...gone..."

Eyra's heart threatened to burst from her chest. "W-warn me about what?" she managed to choke out through her tears and her dread.

Brynjar shook his head, grief-stricken. "I don't know," he whispered. "I'm doing everything I can to figure it out, but...I just don't know. But Eyra. Please watch out for yourself. Take every precaution you can. I don't know what it is that we're dealing with here, but I find myself incapable of believing this to be a coincidence. Whatever information Az found out...I am certain that he died for it." His voice shook with fury and anguish. "Whoever did this to our brother...they're dangerous, Eyra, and...please...I can't lose you as well...it would kill me..."

Eyra wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, her tears flowing freely, though she fought as hard as she could to mask the terror she was feeling. "I'll be careful, Bryn. But you must promise me that you will do the same. If Asmund truly did die because of what he learned, who is to say the same won't happen to you?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Bryn promised her. "I won't let them get to either of us. We will sort this out, Eyra-Bear. We'll both be safe, and you will be with Loki, and we will all be happy. It is what Asmund would want for us."

The two siblings held each other and cried, both out of fear and heartache. So caught up in their feelings were they, however, that neither of them noticed the pair of sinister eyes which watched them from the shadows, nor the keen ears which heard every word that was spoken between the two.

* * *

**A/N: Oh boy. This is getting serious. On a completely different note, I have got the worst case of Poison Ivy! It's awful! A word of advice, steer clear of that stuff! (I wasn't even looking for it because I was having such a grand time tromping through the Redwoods and the Oregon Coast a couple weeks ago, but I sure wish I had!) Kind of a random thought, but I just...ugh. That is all. Anywho, thanks for reading! I am having so much fun writing this!**

**_sayrahsunshine:_ Definitely a good theory. The inheritance theory is interesting. :) Anyway, thank you for reviewing and for sticking around! It makes my heart happy!**

**_Okumura Ichigo:_ Haha I'm so sorry! I guess you will just have to wait and find out. ;) Thank you for always reviewing! I love it, and I am most definitely having fun writing! :)**

**_dukechick79:_ I've never been overly fond of Inghard. He's kind of a jerk. :) And I'm glad that it doesn't hurt when I take a bit longer to update! Thank you for your support!**

**_Snow Shadow 17:_ Right?! He's never exactly been Father of the Year in my opinion...Haha thanks for reviewing! You are fabulous!**

**_LilweenGalatrass:_ You are actually pretty warm with one of your theories, but not quite exactly there. That's all I'm saying though. ;) Thank you for your reviews! I love them!**

**_anon:_ Aw you say the sweetest things! Thank you so much for every single one of your reviews! Every time I read them, I just can't stop smiling! And yes, I am going to miss Asmund, but at least we still have Bryn for now! :) Thanks again!**

**_chyanne200:_ Inghard should be sentenced to death regardless of whether or not he's the one responsible. ;) Haha thank you for your reviews!**

**_Queen Amaryllis Kay:_ I'm so sorry to hear that you feel that way, though it does seem a bit late in the story to do any major character alterations. ;) I did sort of intend for her to be like that though, given that I started this story as sort of a twisted kind of fairytale, so she was supposed to be kind of your typical Disney princess, if you will. Though Kleptomania would certainly have made things...interesting! :) Thanks for your feedback!**

**_Ani the Fangirl:_ Haha I LOVE the Meningitis theory! It is totally not right, but I did not even think about anything like that! (I should have though, considering Meningitis was basically my worst fear for about four years of my life.) I love it! Anyway, thank you so much for your positive review! It means a lot to me! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Eyra awoke to the feeling of Loki nuzzling her neck and pressing soft kisses underneath her ear and along her jawline. For a moment, she kept her eyes closed and let out a sigh, simply allowing herself to enjoy his attentions before she turned to look at him through half-lidded eyes.

"Morning," she mumbled drowsily.

Loki chuckled lightly and brushed his lips briefly against her own. "Afternoon is more like it. It's nearly tea time."

"Nearly...?" Eyra flushed deeply. "Have I really slept that long? Ay, how embarrassing..."

"Nonsense," Loki smiled at her, tenderly stroking her face with his thumb. "You certainly needed it, and I would have been more than happy to let you sleep longer, but you did agree to have tea with Mother today."

Eyra bit her lip. "I...I don't know...I'm still a bit...well...a bit of a wreck..."

"You truly think she is going to care?" Loki cut her off with a shake of his head. His voice was gentle but firm. "Darling, you've been locked up in here for days. I did allow you that time to sort through your thoughts and emotions on your own, but I fear this is becoming hazardous to your health. Now, I will be by your side every second if you want me to, and I promise to help you heal as much as I possibly can, but it's time for you to try to live your life again."

She pouted at him, but sighed in resignation. "You'll come with me? To tea?" He nodded with a smile and climbed off of the bed, pulling her up with him.

"Hurry and get washed up. I already did all that while you were sleeping, so I'll just be out here whenever you are ready."

Eyra gave him a small kiss, smiling at him gratefully, before disappearing into the washroom. Loki sank into an armchair with a relieved sigh. He had been nearly sick with worry, and when she had invited him to visit her yesterday, his heart had soared. He had arrived at her chambers that night, but hardly a word was spoken between them as it took her only a couple of minutes to fall into a deep sleep after he took her into his arms. It seemed that seeing Bryn and going to the funeral had helped to awaken her slightly from the stupor in which she had lived since learning of Asmund's death. There had seemed still to be something a bit off about her, but he simply attributed it to the fact that she was, rightfully, still grieving.

It didn't take long for her to finish getting ready, and the two of them were soon on their way to Frigga's favorite garden. As soon as she saw them approaching, the queen stood with a smile and gestured toward the two seats which had been prepared for them. It never ceased to amaze Eyra how difficult it was to surprise her. She and Loki quickly took their seats, Loki holding Eyra's hand under the table.

"Eyra, it is lovely to see you out and about," Frigga said sincerely. "I am incredibly sorry for your loss, but I do hope that we can make you as comfortable as possible here at the palace. Your other brother, Brynjar, is here at the moment, is he not?"

Eyra nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. It has been very helpful to be able to see him."

"Perhaps he could be persuaded to stay for a few weeks again," Frigga mused. "Of course, your parents would be invited to stay as well."

Eyra gave the queen a strained smile and then swallowed hard, debating over whether or not to mention anything of what Bryn had told her the previous afternoon. Finally, she decided that it would be beneficial for her to have a few others in the know. "Your Majesty..."

"Eyra," Frigga cut her off with a laugh. "I told you that when we are alone there is no need for such formalities. Frigga will do just fine."

"Right. My apologies, Frigga. It's just..." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Bryn made me aware of...some things...yesterday...and they have caused me a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty."

Both Frigga and Loki sat up a little straighter and looked at her questioningly, concern reflected in both of their eyes. "Pray, tell us what troubles you, child," the queen urged.

Eyra held Loki's hand tightly and bounced her knee up and down nervously as she quietly recounted everything that Bryn had informed her of. They listened intently until she was finished, at which point Frigga sat back in her chair and pondered silently for a moment.

"Eyra," she finally spoke, her voice soft but urgent. "You must tell no one else of this. It was wise of you to bring it to us. I will conduct an investigation of my own and see what I am able to learn. In the meantime, Loki, you must never allow her to be alone, even if it means you must cloak yourself so as to avoid suspicion regarding your relationship. Until we know what sort of threat, if any, we are facing here, every precaution must be taken. Do you both understand?" Loki and Eyra nodded with wide eyes. "Good. Now, we mustn't let on that we know anything. I will still see what I can do about having young Brynjar stay here. We need whatever support and protection for you that we can get." All three fell silent when they heard footsteps approaching them. A guard appeared mere moments later and cleared his throat.

"My queen and Lady Astrid. Your presence is requested in the council room."

"Thank you," Frigga replied. "We will be along shortly." He bowed and walked away.

Eyra's brow was furrowed. "Whatever could we both be wanted for?"

Frigga's mouth was set in a grim line. "I do not know, but instinct tells me it does not bode well. But come. Waiting is not doing us any favors. Loki, I do not know that they will allow you to come in as well, but worry not, for I shall be right beside her." Loki nodded reluctantly, and, sure enough, as soon as they arrived at the doors to the council room, the guards stopped them.

"My sincerest apologies, Prince Loki, but we are under strict orders to admit only Queen Frigga and the Lady Astrid." Loki frowned but backed away.

When Frigga and Eyra entered the room, they were surprised the see Inghard, Eyra's mother, Odin, and Thor already gathered there. Odin directed Eyra toward the seat next to Thor, who seemed to be as clueless as she was, and Inghard smiled at her as she slowly sat down. Frigga took her spot next to the Allfather and looked at him questioningly.

"Why have you called us here?" She asked him. Odin sighed.

"We have grown greatly concerned for Lady Astrid since the death of her brother. She seems to have taken it incredibly hard."

"The Allfather and I have reached an agreement," Inghard took over. "We feel that we have come up with a solution to help distract Astrid from her pain and bring her some joy once again. Although it is customary for there to be a full year between a betrothal and a marriage, we have decided that, under these special circumstances, it would do to have the wedding as soon as possible."

Eyra felt her heart constrict painfully in her chest, and she suddenly felt quite faint.

"It is for these reasons that we have decided that the wedding is to be held in seven days time," Odin continued. "That will give us plenty of time to get everything ready." Try as she might, Eyra could not force a single sound of protest to come out of her mouth. Fortunately, Thor was not so affected.

"Father," He seemed to be struggling to maintain his composure. "Did it not occur to you to consult Astrid or myself about this matter? We barely know each other."

Inghard waved his hand. "Nonsense! You have been together for over three months now! That is plenty of time!"

"You can continue to learn more about one another over the next week and after you are wed," Odin agreed. "I understand your reservations, Thor, but I assure you that we have only come to this decision because we know it to be for the best."

Eyra shot her gaze up to Frigga, who seemed equally shocked. "Odin," The queen managed to keep her voice steady. "Perhaps you should reconsider..."

"Enough!" Odin bellowed. "This decision is final, and you had all better get used to the idea. By the Vanir, I expected this to be met with joy and excitement! You will be happy soon enough, however. I am sure of it. You are all dismissed!"

"But Father," Thor tried again.

"Dismissed!" Odin repeated firmly. He then strode grandly from the room, followed closely by Inghard and Brenna. Frigga was instantly at Eyra's side, rubbing her back soothingly. Thor pinched the bridge of his nose and, to the surprise of both women, spoke after a moment.

"Astrid, I am deeply sorry for the circumstances in which we have found ourselves. I feel that I have judged correctly that you harbor no romantic feelings for me, and I hold none for you."

Frigga's voice was determined. "We will find a way out of this. For all of your sakes."

"All?" Thor questioned, confusion written across his face.

"Both," Frigga corrected herself. "Silly me. Come, Thor, let us walk. I am sure Lady Astrid would like to return to her chambers."

The two of them left, and Eyra slowly stood up, walking out the door to see Loki waiting for her anxiously. He immediately ran to meet her, searching her face and becoming quite fearful as he took in her distraught expression.

"What is it?" He demanded. "What's wrong?"

Eyra took his hand in her own, leading him down the hall. "Come to my chambers," she said softly, voice hollow. "We'll talk there."

* * *

"A week?" Loki's voice trembled, and he stared at her in shock. "Eyra...that is not nearly enough time for us to resolve this!"

"I know!" Eyra wept, covering her face with her hands. "I can't do this, Loki. I can't marry him, and I can't be parted from you. What are we going to do?"

Loki pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. "I don't know, Darling. I don't know. But there must be something. I will not allow it to end like this. Whatever it takes, I will make sure that we will be together."

Eyra clung to him as though he would disappear from her the moment she let go. "I believe you," she whispered.

* * *

**A/N: Freaking Inghard. I hate that guy. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Things are getting crazy up in here! Haha please review and let me know what you think! ALSO, shout out to TheBattyWhiteCrow for sending me some songs that would fit just great on a soundtrack for this story! Two Young Hearts, by Sabrina Carpenter, and Mr. Almost, by Meghan Trainor (in connection to Thor). They are fabulous! Also, she has got a super great Loki fic that I've been reading, and you should all check it out! It's called Same Story Different Fools. Anyway, I would love to hear of any other songs you guys can think of that would fit on a playlist for All Of Me! **

**_Deductions-of-Sherlolly:_ Right?! Haha there is just so much going on right now! ALL the drama! ;) Thanks so much for reviewing! (Again!)**

**_TheBattyWhiteCrow:_ Ahaha I love it! Brilliant! If only we could somehow relay the message to Loki...that would be fabulous!**

**_anon:_ Thank you so so so much! Yeah, like I said, I hate that guy. He's just a real pain in the persqueater. Haha anyway, thanks so much again for all your feedback! I really appreciate it!**

**_chyanne200:_ Right?! Jeez, I wish I had some ice cream right about now! Enjoy it for me, please! ;) And thank you so much for all your reviews! I love them!**


	18. Chapter 18

Preparations for the wedding commenced immediately. Eyra found herself being whisked this way and that for gown fittings, flower selections, food tastings, and more. For the moment, Inghard and the Allfather's plan to distract her from her grief was working quite well, seeing as she scarcely had a second to sit down. She voiced these complaints to Loki one evening as he rubbed out her feet in front of the fire in his chambers.

"And my mother! She's the worst of it! Following me about and weeping all the while and spouting some nonsense about how proud she is of me and what a blessing it was that she met Inghard all those years ago!" She huffed and threw her hands in the air. "I mean, she's always been of the opinion that a woman is only as good as the man she marries, but really! This is ridiculous! She's an absolute nightmare!"

Loki chuckled and shook his head. "Yes, I know, Darling. I've been there this entire time."

"Right," she sighed. "It's strange, having you tailing me everywhere all invisible."

"It is a bit odd," he agreed. "Especially when you look directly at the spot where I'm standing, but you just see right through me. A tad disconcerting, if I'm honest."

Eyra giggled. "Does that happen often?"

Loki nodded with wide eyes. "I don't know how you do it. I guess you're just even more drawn to me than I previously thought!" He gave her a cocky smirk and puffed his chest out. She laughed at him and rolled her eyes.

"Then I suppose I must be drawn to vanity, my lord, for you seem to have that in abundance!"

"'Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously,'" he quoted smugly. "'A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.'"

Eyra gaped at him for a moment before chortling delightedly. "You just quoted Pride and Prejudice! Remember when I practically had to beat you over the head to get you to even pick it up?"

"Aye," Loki grimaced. "Though there is no need to bring that up at every opportunity."

"Oh?" Eyra's eyes sparkled with mischief. "And would you rather I reminded you of the spectacular mental image of you hanging buck naked by your ankle from a vine?"

He groaned. "Away with you! I fear I shall never have a moment's peace with you around! You and Mother are to be the death of me!"

She laughed and crawled onto his lap, feeling his arms wrap instinctively around her small frame. "But would you change a bit of it?" She asked with a smile.

"No, Darling, not for the world," he vowed before pulling her lips down to his.

* * *

That night, Eyra lay in Loki's arms, unable to join the prince in sleep. They had yet to come up with a solution to their dilemma, and the wedding was now a mere two days away. To make matters worse, Frigga had thus far been unable to uncover anything that could possibly relate to what Asmund had been talking about before his death. Eyra was growing more and more restless by the day, fearing that all of their determination to work things out had been for naught.

Quickly tiring of her mind refusing to shut down for the night, Eyra slid out of bed, careful not to wake Loki. She padded softly out onto the balcony and curled up comfortably on one of the chairs, gazing silently over the realm of Asgard. It truly was a beautiful sight, and Eyra had to smile at the thought of how many other people might be staring out at the night sky, just as she was.

Her musings were interrupted by the faint sound of voices coming from below her. They were speaking in hushed tones, but it seemed that they came to a stop right beneath her balcony, and Eyra was able to catch most of what they were saying at that point.

"...would be disastrous for all of us! You know that as well as I do! With all due respect, Allfather, I'm a bit surprised at you, given the circumstances in which you find yourself."

"Inghard, you are forgetting your place," the voice of Odin growled. Inghard gave a short laugh.

"Am I? On the contrary, I think I am quite clear on both of our positions here, Allfather. Are you? Or must I remind you again?" There was a moment of tense silence after that until Odin spoke in a defeated sort of voice.

"No. I am well aware of the snare you've caught me in." His tone changed then, taking on a more menacing nature. "But be warned, Inghard. You may have my hands tied this time, but Asgard will not stand for this kind of treachery."

Inghard gave a dark chuckle. "Are you threatening me, Odin? You think that wise? Come, allow me to show you something."

With that, their footsteps carried them out of Eyra's earshot, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her heart hammered against her rib cage as she hurried back into the room and to the bed, pressing herself as close to Loki's side as she could manage. He awoke at the feeling of her body trembling against his and turned to her with a look of sort of groggy concern.

"What's wrong, Darling? Are you alright?"

Eyra was silent for a moment before swallowing hard. "Just a nightmare," she whispered. Loki frowned and enveloped her in his arms, kissing her forehead tenderly.

"Care to talk about it?"

"N-no...I should just try to get back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

He nodded in understanding and kissed her once more, quickly falling back into a peaceful slumber. Eyra, on the other hand, did not sleep one wink the rest of the night.

* * *

"I cannot decide whether to tell Loki any of this," Eyra sighed after recounting everything she had overheard the night before to Bryn. "I fear it will only cause him even more worry."

"Is he not here now?" Bryn asked with raised eyebrows. "I thought he was following you around everywhere to make sure nothing happens to you."

She shook her head. "I'm with you, so he does not worry. I told him to take a break and go read a book. I know he misses it."

Brynjar stared ahead thoughtfully. "I wonder what Inghard could possibly have over Odin. It simply doesn't make sense! I mean, it's the Allfather!"

"I'm as lost as you are, Bryn," Eyra frowned. "But the wedding is the day after tomorrow, and suddenly I just don't think that we are going to be able to get out of it! At least not...well...civilly. Inghard seems incredibly determined to make this happen."

"But there has to be something we can do!" Bryn protested. "I couldn't bear to see this all go down the drain! Not like this!"

Eyra chewed on her lower lip. "There is one thing...we've only spoken of it once because it is not something either of us would prefer to do, but...I think it may be our only option."

"What is it?" he questioned uncertainly.

"I think...we must run away to Midgard. Tomorrow night. I don't know for how long. Just until this mess blows over."

Bryn was silent for several moments, contemplating this new revelation. "I hate to say this, but...I think you may be right. Any other course of action would make me fear for your safety. Loki's as well."

Eyra felt her eyes water, and she suddenly turned and threw her arms around her brother. "I'll miss you," she mumbled. "You could come with us..."

He let out a choked laugh. "I'm not sure you would really want me there after a while. You'll be too busy with each other, if you know what I mean." He winked at her, and she blushed deeply at his implication. "But I will visit you. I promise you that. After all, how would I ever live without ever seeing my Eyra-Bear?"

"But what if they figure out that you were involved?" she fretted tearfully. "You could be killed!"

Bryn shook his head at her with a gentle smile. "I can take care of myself. Nothing will happen to me. I promise. Now, you had better go find your prince and tell him what you've decided. There are preparations to be made after all!"

Eyra gave her brother one last look, an adventurous spark igniting in her eyes. He laughed delightedly as she scampered off, eager to finally have a chance at a life with the man she loved with all her heart.

* * *

**A/N: Well...I don't really have much to say about this chapter...it kind of speaks for itself...soooo...thanks again to everyone who has shown so much incredible support for this story! Y'all are seriously amazing!**

**_chyanne200:_ And even more suspicious with this one, right?! Haha I love it, you smart cookie, you! Thanks for your reviews!**

**_TheBattyWhiteCrow:_ Hey, sure thing, Pal! Haha fabulous! Unfortunately, I think such a plan would ultimately destroy the plot I'm...well...plotting, so...darn. Haha thanks again for your support!**

**_Deductions-of-Sherlolly:_ Right?! He's just a bad egg all around! And sweet mother of Loki?! Ahaha I love it! Absolutely fabulous!**

**_LilweenGalatrass:_ WHAT?! How?! Doesn't it come out May 1st?! You lucky duck, but if ever there was an excuse for not reviewing, that is it! Haha! How was it? :) Anyway, I don't think Thor will be too upset, considering he doesn't want this marriage any more than Eyra does. We'll have to see about Odin though. He's kind of a jerk face. **

**_Traveler of the Universe:_ Wow, thank you so much! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it! That it was makes it worth writing, after all! Haha nobody seems to care much for Inghard! I wonder why that could be... ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

Eyra burst into Loki's chambers, startling him from the book he was engrossed in. "Loki!"

"What?! What is it?!" His voice sounded panicked as he leapt up and ran to her side, inspecting her for any sign of harm. "Are you alright?! What happened?!"

Eyra laughed and took both of his hands in hers. "Calm down! Nothing is wrong! I just..." She bit her lip and looked at him uncertainly. "I was just talking to Bryn..."

"Oh," Loki's brow furrowed as the rest of his body relaxed in relief. "What were you talking about?"

She took a deep breath. "Well...you mentioned once running away to Midgard, and...I was thinking...well...would you still consider that an option? Temporarily, of course."

He gaped at her for a moment before his face broke into a bright grin. "Yes! Yes, of course! I hadn't mentioned it again because I feared you were completely against the idea, but...of course! Do you think..."

Eyra nodded with only the slightest trace of nervousness. "I think we should do it."

"And Bryn? He is aware?"

"And fully supportive," Eyra confirmed with a smile. Loki suddenly threw his arms around her and lifted her off of the ground, whooping in titillation. She shrieked with laughter as he spun her around and around the room.

"Midgard," he breathed as he set her back on her feet, shaking his head in wonderment. "Just think of the adventures we are to have. All of the incredible opportunities out there. And I am to share each amazing experience with you. Do you know, I am fairly certain that there is not a thing in the nine realms that could make me happier than that prospect."

Eyra blushed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss which he eagerly returned. After a moment, she let out a small sigh. "You need to alert your mother," she murmured against his lips. Loki simply groaned and tightened his grip around her waist. Eyra giggled and pulled away from him. "There will be plenty of time for that later," she scolded playfully. "Now go! We have to get ready!"

Loki pouted at her but obeyed reluctantly. Not, however, before stealing one last kiss, making Eyra laugh as he winked at her and strutted smugly out of the room. She shook her head in amusement after he had left, wondering how in the world she had gotten so lucky.

* * *

_24 hours later_

Eyra looked up from the bag she was packing to see Loki slip through the door to her chambers. "Is everything set?" She strode forward until she came to stand in front of him, heart hammering as she thought of the seriousness of what they were about to do.

Loki nodded. "I cannot find Mother, so I assume that she is preparing everything on her end. I have given her both of our letters to Thor, and she is planning on explaining things to him in greater detail when we are gone. The last of the servants go to bed in six hours time, and then," His face split into an excited visage. "We leave for Midgard."

"This is mad," Eyra whispered with a laugh. "Absolutely, howling-at-the-moon insane! Are we actually doing this?"

Loki's eyes gleamed. "Most definitely. In just a matter of hours, Darling, we will be free. Just the two of us. We can do whatever we wish."

Eyra suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, but it quickly receded. Shaking her head, she ignored it and stepped forward to wrap her arms around Loki's waist and rest her head on his chest. "I've been doing some reading," she told him with a content sigh. He 'hmmm'ed in response as his arms encircled her body, his fingers running delicately through her hair. She smiled at the feeling and continued. "I told you once that I had always wanted to help people. You know, to do some good in the world."

"Of course," Loki murmured.

"There are several places on Midgard where there is much need for help and assistance from outsiders. There are children who are starving and sick and alone. Do you suppose we could spend some time there?"

Loki pulled back to cup her face in his hands, gazing down at her adoringly. "Of course, my Darling. That is your dream, after all, is it not? So, I will not have it any other way."

Tears sprang into her eyes at his words. "Thank you," she whispered, once again ignoring the stabbing in her chest. "I love you. So much."

"I love you too," he smiled sincerely. "More than anything." He bent down and pressed his lips against hers briefly before pulling away reluctantly. "I do have a bit more packing to do, and it appears as though you do as well."

Eyra sighed but nodded in agreement, frowning as a sensation of breathlessness began to overwhelm her. "I suppose we must finish that. I'll see you in a few hours then?"

"Of course," Loki beamed, walking towards the door. "Until then, Darling."

Eyra waved at him as he left, closing the door behind him. She turned back to her bags but had to catch herself on her bedpost as the room began to spin around her. She gagged as a wave of nausea hit her, and, holding one hand to her head and the other to her stomach, she staggered toward the washroom, gasping for breath at this point. She leaned against the wall and slid to the ground, feeling her breathing ease slightly and her head clear as she forced herself to breathe deeply and evenly.

After a moment, she slowly stood up again, a soft whimper escaping her lips as the sensations quickly intensified again. She stumbled out the door, realizing she needed help, and stayed close to the wall in hopes of using it to support herself as she struggled to make her way down the hall. A violent cough forced its way from her throat, and she stared in bewilderment at the red flecks which now dotted the hand she'd used to cover it.

That was the last thing Eyra saw before she felt herself falling forward, and the world went black.

* * *

Loki hummed cheerfully to himself as he threw various clothing items and knick knacks into his bags. He thought it strange that he felt so lighthearted. Sure, he was going on the adventure of a lifetime with the most amazing girl to ever enter his life, but it was also a great risk, and it meant that he was leaving his beloved mother behind for an undetermined amount of time. He shrugged it off, however, thinking it useless to overthink things at this point.

A knock sounded at his door, and he practically danced his way over to answer it. "Mother!" He smiled widely, but it quickly faltered as he took note of the distraught look on her face. "What...what is it?"

"Come quickly," she ordered, voice wavering as she struggled to maintain some form of composure. "It's Eyra."

All color drained from Loki's face as he stared at her, not fully processing what she was implying. "What do you mean? Is she okay? What's wrong with her?"

Tears filled Frigga's eyes as she took her son's hands, wondering how in the world to tell him that the love of his life was dying. "There isn't much time," she finally told him gently. "She took ill suddenly. They've done everything they can, but..." Loki continued to stare at her, mind still refusing to make sense of what he was hearing. "Loki," Frigga urged tearfully. "You must go to her. She's...she's...asking for you. Come. Please."

In a daze, Loki allowed his mother to lead him to the healing rooms. As they entered, the first thing he saw was a devastated looking Bryn, who was sitting to the side of a bed and holding tightly to a small frail hand. Loki's eyes were instantly drawn to the girl to whom it was attached. A pale girl whose hair was drenched with sweat. A girl whose breath whistled painfully with each rise and fall of her chest. A girl who could not possibly be his darling Eyra.

And yet, he knew it to be her. He somehow forced his legs to move until he collapsed to his knees by her side, feeling his heart tighten agonizingly as he took in the sight of her. "Eyra," he choked out, grasping her hand as tears spilled from his eyes. How had this happened? He had been with her less than four hours before, and she had seemed in perfectly good health.

Eyra slowly turned her head to look at him, eyes lidded and pupils dilated. "Loki?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper. "I'm...I'm sorry..."

"Shhhhh," he shook his head. "Don't you dare apologize. This is all my fault. I should never have left you alone."

"There's nothing...you could have done..."

"Oh, my love," Loki wept, struggling to come up with words adequate to express what he was feeling. "How will I go on?"

"You must..." Eyra coughed, a small trail of blood falling from the corner of her mouth. "For me...Promise me...that you will try...find someone else...to bring you...joy..."

All of Loki's reserve broke at that, and he leaned his forehead against her hand, shoulders shaking with sobs. "Eyra...please, no...I would do anything for you, but...please...do not ask this of me..."

Eyra opened her mouth to respond, but was suddenly overcome with a fit of violent coughing. Her body clenched in pain, and she let out a small cry of agony. When she finally managed to stop her convulsions, she looked weakly between Loki and Bryn, the only two men left alive who she cared about, and labored to speak her last words. "I...I love...you..."

Bryn's face was soaked with tears as he pressed his hand to her cheek. "I love you too, Eyra-Bear. Tell Az and Papa hello for me, will you?"

She smiled at him wearily and turned back to Loki, whose face reflected the torment coursing through his entire being. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much." The corners of Eyra's mouth turned upward once more before her eyes slid shut, her final breath escaping her lips as both men felt her hands go limp in their own.

Loki could do no more than stare down at her still frame, feeling himself go numb with shock. Just like that, she was gone. His Eyra, who was kind and strong and good, and who looked out at the universe and saw the good she could do for it. His Eyra, who never passed up an opportunity to tease him, but was always there to tell him how much she loved him. His Eyra, who loved to sing and dance and laugh and enjoy life. His Eyra, who held more emotion and love and passion in her little finger than most people possessed in their entire bodies. His Eyra, who would never laugh or dance or kiss him ever again. His Eyra, who would never get to see Midgard, to provide for its people as she had always wanted to do. His Eyra, who, in an instant, was taken from his life with scarcely the chance to say a proper goodbye.

Agony suddenly tore its way through his body, and he stood abruptly, fighting to keep his expression from betraying the depth of pain he felt at this loss. His whole body trembled as he walked quickly from the room, refusing to meet the gaze of anyone present. Frigga watched her son go, tears streaming down her face as she thought bitterly of how this story had to end, and wishing with all her heart that she could tell him the secrets that she knew.

* * *

**A/N: Please don't kill me! There may yet be some happiness in store for poor Loki. I guess we will just have to see! ;)**

**Also, I apologize that it took me so long to post this chapter. My brother's appendix ruptured, so I've been either at work or at the hospital with him for the past few days, hardly giving me any opportunity to write!**

**_LilweenGalatrass:_ Aw man, seriously? No fair! I can't wait to see it myself! And thanks for the lack of spoilers, I appreciate it! ;) Well, not exactly what you were expecting, I think, but I guess that's a good thing, right? Maybe? No? Alright... :) Thank you for reviewing!**

**_Okumura Ichigo:_ Well...it looks like all those fears came true... :/ I'm so sorry for any emotional pain that I've caused you!**

**_Deductions-of-Sherlolly:_ What?! You saw it too?! You darn Europeans! ;P I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!**

**_2lazy2log in:_ Wow, thanks so much! Hopefully this came as a bit of a shock to you! ;)**

**_chyanne200:_ What grand escape? Oops. Too soon? Sorry...**

**_dukechick79:_ Well, you were certainly right about something else being planned! And it is definitely a good thing that you can appreciate a bit of drama. ;) Unfortunately, I'm not much of a major smut writer, sooooo...sorry about that. ;)**

**_anon:_ Aw, shucks, YOU are the awesomest for your reviews! Did I pique your interest even further?**

**_TigerInTheMoonlight:_ Well, I'm sure glad that you discovered it! Probably not the best first update for you, so sorry about that haha. Thanks for your positive review!**

**_Ani the Fangirl:_ Does he? I don't know! Maybe or maybe not! ;P**

**_snowflake2410:_ Well! That was certainly the most colorful review I've gotten so far! Ahaha! Inghard is definitely a piece of work, but hopefully he gets his just desserts in the end! I'm so glad that you are enjoying this, and thanks a million for your review!**

**_Littlekitty567:_ Wow, thank you so much! I really appreciate your positivity, and it makes me so happy to hear that you are enjoying it! That is what keeps me going! Hopefully this chapter took a turn you weren't really expecting haha. Thanks again!**

**_SarahELupin:_ YAS! Thank you! Hopefully you don't hate me too much after this...**

**_GirlofGallifrey:_ Well, I love your name, for starters...Aside from that, thank you so, so much! That was such a great review to read, especially because I was just having an awful day when I got it! It cheered me up so much, so thank you for that! I really love Bryn as well. I've always wanted to have an older brother, and that tends to come out whenever I write something haha. And, of course, everyone hates Inghard. He's just such a big, dumb, bully. Haha thanks again for your wonderful review!**

**_ZabuzasGirl:_ Well, it wasn't exactly immediately, but hopefully still soon enough for you! It's so great to hear that you are enjoying this, and thank you so much for your review!**


	20. Chapter 20

The next few days felt like years to Loki, and yet, looking back, they were little more than a blur. Though he and Bryn were often found in one another's company, neither of them spoke a word, opting instead to stroll silently through the gardens and around Eyra's chambers, each consumed with his own memories and feelings of grief. Anyone with little enough sense to approach them was quickly sent running by Loki's icy glare.

Eventually, it came time for the funeral. To the dismay of both afore mentioned men, Inghard had appointed himself and Thor to be the speakers at the event. Upon hearing this piece of news, Loki had gritted his teeth and had to force himself to breathe deeply so as not to cause a scene. It should have been himself and Bryn, and yet, he told himself, he knew that such a thing would not look good to the rest of the guests, and that was what Inghard and Odin cared most about. And so, he and Bryn stood side-by-side as they listened to Thor say all the right things, even if the emotion was not quite all there.

Then, it was Inghard's turn. Loki's blood boiled as he listened to the man who had caused Eyra and himself so much strife speak of her as though he knew her. As though he had ever taken the time to really love her as anything more than a puzzle piece in his own game of power. Suddenly, a few of his words sliced through Loki's heart and mind like a knife.

"...that she should have been taken from us in the same way as her brother, Asmund, mere weeks ago..."

Loki's mouth went dry. Of course. She and Asmund had died of the same 'illness.' And, if they had thought Asmund's death to be suspicious, then Eyra's was even more so. He had been so caught up in his own feelings of pain and regret that he had failed to even consider the idea that there was more to her sudden passing than met the eye. It was with this revelation that he resolved with a greater determination than he had ever felt to get to the bottom of these recent events.

_'I may not be able to bring you back, Darling, but by the Vanir,' he vowed solemnly. 'I will avenge you.'_

* * *

Later that evening, Loki sat with Thor in front of a blazing fire. Although he had been jealous of his brother's engagement to the girl he loved, he had always adored the thunder god. Thor and his mother were the only two people (aside from Eyra, of course) who seemed to truly love him and at least try to understand him. Because of this, he found the smallest amount of solace in his brother's company at this time.

"It is shocking," Thor was saying with a shake of his head. "I don't think any of us could have foreseen this. Not even Mother." Loki 'hmm'ed' absently in response, and Thor continued. "I mean, I may not have been in love with her, but that does not mean that I did not care for her deeply. Astrid was an incredible woman."

"Eyra," Loki corrected without thinking.

Thor stared at him in bewilderment. "What?"

Loki looked back at him with wide eyes, realizing what he had done. "Uh, nothing. Just...musing to myself."

"No," Thor frowned. "You said 'Eyra.' What do you mean by that?"

Loki swallowed and decided after a moment that there was no getting out of it this time and that it would, frankly, be silly to try to do so. "Her name was Eyra," he sighed. "Not Astrid."

Thor continued to gape at him with a furrowed brow. "But, Eyra is the name of..." Realization suddenly dawned on his face. "It was her. You...You loved her," he breathed in shock.

Loki nodded, refusing to meet his brother's gaze. "No one has ever been so precious to me." He swallowed hard, cursing the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks. "You never got the chance to really get to know her, but...she was absolutely amazing. I met her once, years ago, in the woods. I didn't see her again until she arrived here, and imagine my shock when it was she who stepped out of that carriage." He laughed in spite of himself. "Oh, how she hated that lifestyle. Inghard sort of forced her to become a proper lady, but when you got to see the real her...she was fun and spontaneous and passionate. And the way her eyes would widen and her nose would wrinkle when she laughed...I would give anything to see that again..."

"Did she love you?" Thor questioned hesitantly.

"Yes." Loki twiddled his thumbs to distract himself from the pain of talking about his grief. "Much to my shock, of course. After all, who would choose me over you? But, she did. We...we were hours away from fleeing to Midgard together when..." He found himself unable to continue.

Thor suddenly pulled his Loki into a tight embrace, allowing his younger brother to shed the tears he had been holding back with all his might for the past several days. Loki shuddered and gasped as he cried, making Thor's heart ache for him.

"Oh, Brother," he mumbled regretfully. "How I wish I could bring her back for you. I'm so sorry."

And so the two princes sat together and cried for hours, Loki over the loss of his darling Eyra, and Thor for the pain he felt on his brother's behalf.

* * *

**A/N: So, this is obviously a really short chapter and the next one is going to be even shorter! It's the last chapter, and I want it to sort of be like one of those scenes Marvel always does after their credits. But! Worry not, for there shall be a sequel! If you want an idea of what said sequel is going to be about, I strongly recommend reading the last chapter, which I promise will be up tomorrow. :)**

**_TigerInTheMoonlight:_ I know! I'm terrible, and I'm so sorry about it! Just know, that it is absolutely necessary. And I guess you will just have to keep reading to find out what Frigga knows. :)**

**_LilweenGalatrass:_ Well, like I said, there may very well be a happy ending yet in store for poor Loki here. :) And what does Frigga know? A lot of things which you will just have to keep reading to find out!**

**_snowflake2410:_ Well...yes and no? I don't know! Keep reading and see! :)**

**_Deductions-of-Sherlolly:_ ...sorry... :/**

**_Okumura Ichigo:_ Do not despair! This is not a tragedy fic! Like I said, there is going to be a happy ending for Loki eventually! I promise! :)**

**_Aslan Sheeran:_ I absolutely understand what you mean, and definitely recommend reading at least the next chapter. :) I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE IT! Hopefully I will get to either tonight or tomorrow. Fingers crossed!**

**_chyanne200:_ Just remember that this isn't a tragedy! That's all I'm saying! ;)**

**_GirlOfGallifrey:_ Hahaha you want her back but don't? I'm afraid you will have to explain. ;) And you are right, there is happiness in store for Loki eventually!**

**_sayrahsunshine:_ I'm sorry please don't hate me! Don't worry, it was necessary to the overall plot! Promise!**

**_anon:_ Not a nightmare, no. Sorry. :/ But don't worry! This story is far from over! Promise!**

**_dukechick79:_ Well, I'm sure glad that I was able to surprise you! And, again, there is definitely some happiness a little ways down the road. :)**

**_soundwxves:_ Wow, thank you so much for such a positive review! It makes me really happy to be able to bring some sort of entertainment for my readers! Hopefully I will be able to continue to keep you interested!**

**_Abby:_ Thank you so much! We are far from nearing the end of this story, so hopefully you will be satisfied with its future events! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

Frigga stood at her window and cried. She cried over the loss of Eyra. She cried for Loki and his heart which had been broken beyond repair. She cried over the knowledge that she had but was unable to share. And she cried over the fact that her husband was largely to blame for the devastating events which had occurred.

Odin himself came to stand beside her, sliding an arm around her shoulders and gazing at her sorrowfully. "Frigga..."

"Please, Odin," she begged him. "My lips are sealed, but you must tell him! You see how he suffers!"

The Allfather sighed. "He will heal. In time. I am certain of it. If he were to know the truth then Inghard would surely learn of it as well, and you know the disaster that would come of that. No, Frigga. Loki cannot know."

"But," Frigga began to argue but was cut off by a stern look and a shake of the head from Odin.

"No one can know that Eyra is alive."

* * *

**A/N: Aaaaaaand that's a wrap, folks! I really hope that you have all enjoyed this installment! Also hopefully this has helped to ease some of your pain regarding the last couple of chapters. ****You didn't really think I would kill her off, did you? I'm not that heartless! ;) ****Anyway, Part 2 should be up within the next couple of days! It will be called In This Life, and I will post in this story to let you know when the first chapter is available! **

**On another note, I just wanted to send out a huge thank you to every single one of you who has reviewed, favorited, followed, or even just read this story through to this point! I never expected to have this kind of a response to it, and I've been completely overwhelmed by the support you guys have shown me! Know that I read each and every one of your reviews and that they never fail to make me smile, no matter how simple they may be. Thank you again so much!**

**LilweenGalatrass:**** Surprise! (Maybe...it is entirely possible that you saw this coming haha) She isn't really dead! Now to find out what happened to her and if she and Loki will ever get their happily ever after...Also sorry for making you cry! (But not really, that was rather the point haha)**

**chyanne200: Ahhhh so many questions and so few answers! But, fear not! All shall be revealed in time! ;)**

**GirlOfGallifrey: Alright that does make more sense haha! And, actually, you may get both of those wishes granted. I guess we will have to see! It is nice to know that you would not have stopped reading even if she really was dead. Thanks for that. :) Also, I am so sorry to hear that! I definitely had such problems of my own in high school, and it is not fun. People just don't understand, but it is really nice to be a part of a fandom and know that there are people out there who DO understand and who are like us! It's a great comfort. So keep on keeping on! I think you are fabulous. ;) And I am so glad that I am able to help cheer you up! Reading that actually made me cry, so thank you for touching my heart. :)**

**Okumura Ichigo: Aha! Merry Christmas! She's not dead! Let's just hope that she and Loki can have their happy ending at some point...**

**Ani the Fangirl: I'm so sorry! I hope this helped to ease the pain! Although, please don't be offended, but it made me pretty happy that you cried. Only because that means I've done my job properly :) And anyway, all's well that ends well, right?**

**snowflake2410: You hit the nail right on the head! (With the Avengers thing, not with the getting off on bringing people pain bit haha) Good job! And I really didn't want your blood! Here, have it back! ;) I hope this update helped! And thank you for your reviews! They seriously crack me up every time! I love it!**

**TigerInTheMoolight: But it's all okay now! Or...it will be, at least. Haha thank you for always reviewing! It makes me super happy!**

**redbear606: Thank you so much! I do apologize for any pain I may have caused you haha. Anyway, thank you for reviewing, and I hope you will the next one as well! :)**


	22. Sequel is up!

**The sequel is up! It is on my profile under the name of, like I said, In This Life. Give it a read and let me know what you think. My responses to all of your reviews are posted there as well. Thank you muchly to all of my amazing readers!**


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